


In My Sights

by Blacsparrow



Category: RWBY
Genre: Awkward Flirting, F/F, Shy May, Sniper Battle
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2018-12-25 13:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 45,317
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12037284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blacsparrow/pseuds/Blacsparrow
Summary: May Zedong enjoys people watching. Then she laid her eye on little Ruby Rose. Started as a one shot and then grew into a short little story about a shy sniper setting her sights on a new kind of target. The story that named the ship "Long Distance".





	1. Too late now

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

A shudder, dark skinned hands clutch at the loose beanie covering light red hair and obscuring an eye and pull it on more firmly. Used to the desert heat May Zedong was NOT adjusting well to being in Vale. Her attire being a thick jacket in a dark red color, a thick black scarf wrapped loosely around her shoulders matching her head wear, and a pair of jeans with boots.

"I don't understand how any of my team can stand it. They're dressed like we're back home but it all just feels so cold here. I miss the desert." She mutters to herself gently setting her rifle down on a pair of branches next to her little perch in the small wooded section of Beacon used to host events like the Vytal festival fairgrounds.

Looking at the position of the Sun she sighs softly. _'Sun will go down soon. Then it will get even colder, I'll have to head back to our room soon.'_ She thinks detaching the scope from her rifle and using it to people watch for a bit. The temptation to take a nap now would only lead to her waking up freezing and the last thing she needs is to get a cold here.

She turns her eye from the fair and towards the school as she catches a flash of bright red. Turning her scope she spots a short young girl dressed in black and red with a long hooded cloak over her shoulders. The sight causes May to groan softly in frustration.

_'Now why didn't I think of that? I could have brought my trekking cloak it would be nice and warm like a constant blanket and with all the other people visiting I wouldn't be to out of place wearing it.'_ She curses herself softly her eye peering through the scope again, enviously gazing on the girls' thick cloak. _'Maybe she'll have a spare I can borrow if I ask?'_

May ponders the pros and cons of actually approaching the girl about it. Certain she could go into the city and get a cloak or at the very least the material to make one. But that would require going into the city... With the people... During the Vytal festival when the streets are certain to be packed. Not ideal for the shy recluse. Compared to that asking the girl to borrow a cloak seemed much easier by comparison.

_'I would ask the boys to get one for me but... They're boys and I do not trust Stallion with my shopping.'_ She says before blinking suddenly realizing she's spent the last few minutes staring rather blatantly at the target of her envy. At least it was through her scope where she couldn't be caught.

Breaking from her musing she returns to her scope moving to follow the girl talking to her team trying to get a better picture of her personality from a distance and memorize her features so she can approach her later. _'She's short but still cute, wait why is she turning?'_

May nearly falls out of her tree as bright silver eyes turn in her direction, her back pressing firmly to the trunk. Her eyes close as she tries to reign in her breathing. When she doesn't hear the yelling she thought she would she slowly opens them and looks through her scope again her eye falling on a soft face framed by dark black hair tipped with red matching her cloak and the trim of her outfit.

She watches as a puzzled little frown crosses the younger girls' features as her eyes scan the tree line before she shrugs and turns back to her team.

_'Cute was the wrong word. She's beautiful.'_

The thought crosses May's mind as heat blossoms in her chest. Her mind filling with images in silver, black and red. So much so she doesn't notice until her gaze follows the girl inside the Beacon dormitories that the sun has long since set and she's yet to notice to cool night air biting at her exposed skin.

With another shudder she grabs her rifle, reattaches the scope and uses the climbing axe built into the stock to swing herself to the ground heading for the guest rooms and her team.

Opening the door to their room, Brawnz looks up from his bed and sits up swinging his legs over the side. "May, there you are, I was wondering if I was going to have to go looking for you. You're back really late, something happen?" Her team leader asks his brow turning upwards in curiosity.

"Nothing, I just got distracted people watching, I think I might be getting sick too." The sniper replies moving towards her own bed and the bag filled with her belongings. Her face set in a frown as she rubs her chest.

"Stomach bothering you?" Nolan asks from his bed next to Roy, the two have a hat placed between their beds taking turns flicking cards towards it trying to land them inside.

"Yes? Kinda... I've never felt sick like this before you know? Like my stomach is squirming around and my chest feels all warm and I can't stop—" She starts before Brawnz clears his throat loudly interrupting.

"Nope." He says firmly glaring at the other two members to keep them quiet before turning back to a confused May Zedong.

"What do you mean by 'nope'? I was just trying to say—" She tries again before once more being immediately interrupted.

"Nope! Nope nope nope nope. We aren't having this conversation. I'm not and neither are Roy and Nolan. Too awkward, too weird. You're like a sister to us and we really, REALLY don't want to know anymore." He replies before nodding firmly, not in any way helping her confusion.

"Brawnz what are you talking abo—" She tries to ask, stopping when he puts a hand up.

"NOPE! Do us a favor, actually; it's an order from your leader. Go next door and tell NDGO what's up. Let them give you advice on what to do and if it's any of us. Put it out of your head." Brawnz adds gently but firmly pushing her out of the room. "You can come back after you talk to them."

May stands there blinking in confusion for a moment as the door closes in her face. As the confusion fades it's replaced with annoyance and she huffs blowing her bangs away from her exposed right eye. She contemplates taking her climbing axe to the door before sighing and stomping next door tugging her scarf. It isn't until after she knocks she remembers that her scroll is next to her bed and she'll need it to get back into her room later.

"Helllllooooo~?"

_'Too late now.'_

The voice of Octavia Ember rings out into the hall as the door is pulled open. "Oh heya May! Come on in! Girls it's May at the door!" She calls out to her team in the room as she steps aside beckoning May in.

"Zedong? Your team's room is next door did you get the wrong room number or do you need something?" Nebula Violette asks softly stepping out of the bathroom wearing a simple purple tank top and grey sweat pants her hair wrapped in a towel.

"Well, not really I told Brawnz I think I might be sick, but when I started listing the symptoms he interrupted me and told me to come over here to 'ask you for advice' and that it's 'too awkward' for them to help me with." May explains getting a weird look from team NDGO, the four girls all looking at each other before shrugging and each taking a spot on their beds to listen.

"Well, tell us what's up and maybe we can figure out what's going on and help." Dew Gayl suggests, idly swinging her legs back and forth above her head from her position on her stomach.

"Well, like I was telling them. I was relaxing up in a tree earlier people watching a bit. But just before I came down I noticed my stomach felt weird. I had this odd heat in my chest, my heart was going like crazy and my skin was flushed." May explains, her exposed eye moving from girl to girl.

Gwen rolls her eyes before turning over in her bed muttering "Oh here we go." While Octavia, Nebula, and Dew look at each other before the last gets a strange glint in her eye and a wide smile breaks over her features.

"So, who's the guy? Is he from one of the other schools?" She asks ignoring the groan coming from Gwen. "Ignore negative Nancy over there. She doesn't remember what feelings are." The spear wielder adds before ducking the pillow projectile and tossing it back.

"Guy? What are you talking about?" May asks still confused. Her frustration mounting as she gets tired of people commenting without explaining. Nebula seems to notice and holds a hand up stalling Dew as she approaches and draws the sniper to her bed motioning for her to take a seat before she resumes her own spot, legs crossed under her. She waits for Zedong to make herself comfortable before speaking.

"May, you said you were people watching? Was there someone in particular you were looking at when you started feeling strange?" She asks calmly ignoring Octavia's knowing smirk and Dews eager nodding.

May looks contemplative for a moment before her visible eye widens and her hands tap on the rifle in her lap. "W-well there was one person I guess. A short girl in a red cloak."

Silence fills the room as May gets distracted for a moment, her heart going again at the memory. That warm feeling returning to her chest. It takes a moment before she realizes no one is saying anything and looks up from her rifle the four girls all looking at her in surprise.

Dew is the first to recover and shakes her head before responding breaking the spell over the others and sending Gwen back into disinterest. "Well, I didn't see that coming. I was certain it would be a guy." She adds before a glint reappears. "May, You're thinking about her now right?" She asks bluntly grinning wide.

"Well yes but—"

"Not yet, you'll understand in a sec, just answer a few questions. Do you clearly remember what she looks like? Every detail?" Octavia adds helpfully.

"Yeah, she had hair about my length only all black except the tips, they were red like her cape. Bright silver eyes and black clothes trimmed with that same red with bits of silver here and there. Oh and a rose sewn in. I only saw her face for a short while before she turned away again." She says at length, patiently waiting for the explanation.

"Would you like to get closer to her? Be her friend or maybe more?" Nebula inserts softly a warm look on her face.

"Well yeah, she seems really nice. Well... I got that impression from the little I saw anyway... Wait, what do you mean by more? l-like being toge—" She asks blushing before cutting herself off with a gasp as the dots connect. She's seen it enough in others to identify it when it's laid out in front of her.

"Looks like she figured it out! Now want me to tell you her name? I know it." Dew asks teasing lightly smirking as May nods slowly, still reeling from her realization. "Little Red's name is Ruby Rose. First year Beacon student and leader of Team RWBY." She replies while Nebula pulls up the team listing for the upcoming tournament and picks out Ruby's profile offering May the scroll to look at.

Zedong takes it staring at the grinning image of the little red girl with the cloak before tipping backwards on the bed her head landing as she lets out a low frustrated groan. A single thought bouncing around in her head refusing to give up.

_'I have a crush on Ruby Rose.'_ After a few minutes of staring and tormenting she hands the scroll back weakly before another thought hits her shortly echoed by Dew. _'Now what do I do?'_

"Now what will you do about it?"


	2. Completely hooked

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

_'This was a bad idea...'_

May Zedong made a mistake. An easy mistake to make to be certain, and one made with the best of intentions. All she wanted to do was ask the pretty caped team leader on a date. Get to know her better and maybe become something more. And here she is a week later pacing on a roof, completely exposed and way out of her comfort zone. Her usual warm garments abandoned and replaced with a smooth, soft dress in a simple white, the light red streeks running down her sides matching her hair.

That being the primary focus of her discomfort. Her beanie was taken, read stolen, by Dew while getting ready because it 'just didn't fit' with the dress. She barricaded herself in their bathroom until a compromise was reached. No beanie but her bangs held in place by a borrowed clip to cover the part of her face the beanie usually hid away.

The other issue being, of course, just how cold it is. A rooftop in the middle of the night, while romantic, is going to be colder than say a secluded classroom or a spot in the woods on campus. These ideas were shot down for reasons including risk of getting caught out, interrupted, or being too difficult to locate at night. Not helping with the temperature is the usual warm feeling that comes from watching or thinking about the target of her affections seems to have formed itself into a ball of ice cold dread and dropped into the pit of her stomach.

Yes, May Zedong made a mistake. That mistake was listening to one Dew Gayl.

**~one week earlier~**

"Now what will you do about it?" Dew asks her legs still kicking lazily above her, eyes on May as the besotted girl lifts her upper body back up into a sitting position. With a bit uneasy shifting she moves her rifle to the ground so it's leaning against the side of Nebula's bed instead of laying across her lap.

"I guess I can go talk to her tomorrow? Get to know her a little and see if she wants to do something?" She suggests, radiating uncertainty. She feels relieved when Nebula and Octavia nod smiling with support only for it to be destroyed thoroughly when Dew pouts and shakes her head furiously leaving her bed entirely to get to her feet, fist clenched in dramatic fashion.

"No way! You need to make an impression. Do something to get and hold her attention. If you do it the boring way you'll never keep her interested."

A small distressed sound escapes the sniper as she resists the urge to fall back once more on the bed and curl into a ball. What could she do?! People watching is fine and all for a basic overview of someone or a group but it would take days of observation to learn the details she'll need not to make a fool out of herself then more time to make a plan and execute it.

"Dew that seems needlessly complicated." Nebula points out gently rubbing May's shoulder to give her some small measure of comfort.

"Yeah, what's wrong with just telling Ruby? The worst she can do is turn May down and if she's as nice as May thinks she'll at least try to do it gently." Octavia adds trying to provide additional reason into a plan that might back fire horrifically.

"Nonsense, it's the best way. We'll even help. Tomorrow we'll go info gathering for May and we'll make a plan for helping May get the girl." The excitable romantic replies with a firm nod before three girls plus guest all flinch hard. The rooms' final occupant angrily lifting her head from her pillow to glare balefully.

"Yes, fine, whatever. Gather info, help May. Do whatever you want. But it's already late and I swear if you people don't shut up right now I will make sure you live long enough to regret keeping me awake." Gwen inserts, the most she's said since the sniper entered the room. And with that she lays back down drawing her blanketing up as her head crashes back into her pillow dark grumbling and varied threats trailing slowly off in her wake.

Silence overtakes the room after Gwen finally calms down enough to return to sleep. Everyone left awake a bit too scared to say anything. It isn't until May starts her way towards the door to the room that she recalls being locked out and suppressing a groan as her shoulders slump in distress. She jumps a bit when Octavia's hand falls on her shoulder turning to meet the questioning look she whispers softly.

"I'm locked out of my team's room. My scroll was on the night stand when they pushed me out." She answers her eyes darting to Gwen's bed to make sure the angry girl doesn't wake. Octavia's eyes go wide a moment before nodding and holding up a finger and moving to rummage in her things. Returning with a pair of navy gym shorts with a loose shirt. She hands them over to May before motioning back to her bed.

Taking the hint, May gives her a grateful smile before entering the bathroom to get changed before getting into the bed and looking at the ceiling of the room her stomach squirming with nauseating intensity as she drifts off to sleep. Dreams filled with black, red and silver.

**~Next morning~**

The night before had been the most confusing and frustrating one May could remember. From dealing with unhelpful teammates, to the knowing looks spread around team NDGO to each other, and ending with the revelation of her newly discovered crush.

_'And isn't that last one a fun thought.'_  May ponders before squeezing her eyes closed tightly. Idly entertaining the idea that maybe if she falls asleep again this time she'll wake up back in her tree perch with it all having been just a dream. She groans a little and sets about trying to accomplish the task before a voice uncomfortably close to her forces her eyes open.

"Good morning May, sleep well?" May's eye alights on the speaker and she blinks rapidly before scrambling backwards and crashing onto the ground. Mind confused for a moment as to why Octavia was in her bed with her before her mind catches up and she groans again letting herself remain on the ground as one hand slides up to her face making sure her beanie is still in place and hiding the left eye.

Octavia's face pops out from the edge of her bed to giggle down her hair framing her face. "Forgot we were sleeping together didn't ya? Well just don't go spreading around the fact you made it into my bed yeah?" She quips with a wink before laughing outright at the blush spreading across the snipers face. "Oh you are too easy."

Grumbling May gets to her feet and looks around the other members of NDGO are waking up with the exception of Gwen who is already gone from the room her bed made leaving the four left to look between each other the sniper picking at the chest of her borrowed shirt. "I'll give the clothes back after I get changed in my room okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, we know Zedong. Now, the important parts, classes for the week start tomorrow so we have today to gather info while you think about how to get her attention. We meet up later and use the information we've gathered to come up with ideas in case we need to make a quick trip out to Vale." Dew inserts before skipping into the bathroom preventing anyone from countering her. "Oh! And get ready quick I want to start gathering information and I'm sure they will be in the cafeteria for breakfast at least!"

May sighs and shakes her head before gathering her clothes under one arm and shouldering her rifle with the other as she heads into the hall and next door to her teams room knocking her elbow into the door a few times before calling out. "Brawnz open up! I need to get a shower and clean clothes, and it's cold out here!" She yells irritated at being locked out.

She's still there tapping her foot when he finally opens the door to look out bleary eyed clearly she woke him up. Unconcerned she pushes past and heads to her bed grabbing her scroll after dropping her dirty laundry in a hamper and grabbing a fresh set of clothing to wear under her jacket and moving towards the bathroom. "Before you ask, yes I talked to them, yes they helped, and no it's not on any of you." She gets out before shutting the bathroom door and locking it.

Letting the hot water run down her skin slowly eases the tension in her body as she finally manages to relax. Her back pressing against the wall of the shower with her eyes closed. Letting heat soak into her flesh for a while before turning it off and slipping out grabbing a towel to dry off. She pauses a moment to look at the mirror before becoming grateful that it's fogged over as she finishes drying out her hair and tending her hygienic needs. Leaving the towel in place to draw more moisture from her locks as she pulls on her clothing before setting it aside, fixing her beanie in place and heading through the door again adding the towel to her hamper of clothes to be cleaned.

"All yours guys," Gesturing to the bathroom. "I'm spending the day with NDGO so don't wait up yeah?" She adds grabbing her rifle and heading out the door without waiting for a reply still annoyed with them for shoving her out the night before.

With Octavia's borrowed clothes she returns and hands them over folded neatly before waiting for the three girls to finish getting ready while feeling really out of place being the only trainee currently holding her weapon. She looks down to at the rifle and considers actually using the rocket-propelled locker she was assigned but shakes her head pulling the cord from her jacket pocket wrapping the ends carefully around her rifle and slinging it across her back to free up her hands.

When they arrive in the cafeteria they take a seat and May carefully looks around while moving from the food line to a table behind her classmates. Sitting between Nebula and Dew she gently taps them both before pointing across the room at the red cloaked girl. Already feeling her face heating up again while watching her smiling face chatting with both her team and another.

"Oh man, is that Pyrrha Nikos? And... Is she sitting next to Weiss Schnee? As in singer slash heiress to the SDC Weiss Schnee? By Oum Zedong, go big or go home huh? Those are some pretty powerful friends." Octavia comments her eyes wide with surprise before looking away again so they won't get caught staring.

"So that's your crush huh? She is cute, gets along with her team... Doesn't look much like a leader though. I'd have to see them in action to really tell." She comments before glancing to her side at a furiously blushing May and a contemplative Dew. The first looking like she wants to sink through the floor while the second nods.

"She seems to really like cookies, we can use that. She sat down with six and they are all gone. I almost didn't notice her grabbing a few of her teammates as well. She eats them so fast I wonder if it's a metabolism thing. Like she needs the calories for her Semblance or something." Dew comments softly before starting in on her breakfast. She then looks down and gives a small smile. "Hey May, want to make a good first impression without being too obvious?"

The sniper gives a little jump before looking over at Dew the question clear on her face as she tries to keep the obvious blush down and loosens her scarf. A frown forming on her face as the warmth in her chest is making her suddenly very uncomfortable under her warm clothing.

"Okay, it's simple. We gather our cookies and you give them to her. Just say we didn't want ours and you noticed she likes them. You're giving her something she enjoys without being too obvious. Good impression without giving your crush away." Dew adds with a nod already sliding her own treat onto May's tray.

Small plan in place May finishes her breakfast quickly and stands nervously. Pausing as Nebula catches her arm. "Calm down, She's just a girl having breakfast. You're just going to give her some cookies. This isn't your confession it's an introduction and there's no need to be nervous. If you want just leave the rest to us and we'll meet you at our room later."

May nods and lets out a deep breath before smiling back a little and making her way over. She pauses behind her caped crush and clears her throat softly getting Ruby's attention only to nearly stumble over herself at the sudden close proximity to those stunning metallic eyes. She feels the blush starting to creep up on her again before she rapidly shakes her head and speaks rushing her words before she loses her nerve. "Hello, I'm May Zedong. My friends and I weren't interested in the dessert and I was wondering if you would like them instead?"

_'There, you said it Zedong. And you didn't stumble over your words so excellent job there and by Oum that smile should be illegal… and she's looking right at you. Oh no she's saying something and you're missing it, quick pay attention!'_  May's inner dialogue comes to a crashing halt as she starts registering words.

"—and please tell your friends I said thank you okay?" Ruby finishes taking the plate with a blinding smile that May can only nod in reply to before hurrying away to stand outside of the cafeteria. Her back planted to the wall outside a slightly giddy smile crosses her face as her thoughts run a bit longer.

_'I made her smile. She was smiling at me and I caused it! Even her voice is beautiful.'_  May thinks to herself before blinking rapidly and gently tapping the back of her head into the wall behind her before pushing off and heading away to look for a tree to hide in.  _'Sweet Oum, less than twenty four hours and she's got me completely hooked.'_


	3. Talk about a long shot

Edited by - Crescent Sunrise

An eye the color of blue steel opens as a soft vibration goes off in her jacket pocket. With a small grumble May reaches a hand up and into her pocket pulling out her Scroll and opening it to see a message calling her back to NDGO's room. Hopefully they've got something to work with because, checking the time, there's only a few hours left to head into Vale if she wants to get what she'll need to start up with a plan she was working out.

With more confidence than she's felt since discovering her crush the sniper swings out of her perch and heads across the grounds towards the girls room her rifle re-slung over her shoulder as her hands slip into her jacket to warm up. She rubs them back and forth building up some friction. Her heart calm for once as she moves calmly, trying to keep herself from getting worked up until after she's got more information to work with.

Instincts scream suddenly and the sniper has turned completely around. Left knee hitting the ground as the right props her elbow keeping her rifle steady as she eyes the trees behind her over the top of her scope carefully. The hair at the back of her neck raising as she hears a soft clapping before the black haired girl from Ruby's team approaches.

"Good reflexes." She comments stopping her soft clapping as May stands re-slinging her rifle once more before tilting her head in silent question. Already growing more uncomfortable with all the people she's had to interact with recently adding new people is not near the top of her list. A new person who happens to be a teammate of her crush adds a whole extra level of complexity as the need to make a good impression wars with the temptation to avoid further contact and keep walking despite it being rude. Before she can decide however Blake continues.

"It's obvious you know, your crush? Well it was to me at least." She states matter-of-factly, instantly putting May's mind into overload as it races with possibilities. _'Oh no! She's Ruby's teammate! There's no way she won't tell her leader, has she done so already? Ugh, stupid Dew and her stupid cookie plot ruined everything!'_

What comes out of the shy snipers mouth however is along the lines of, "Whuh, huh, buh..." Followed by a low embarrassed groan and a deep blush rushing over her features having been caught out so easily. Talking to Ruby this morning was hard enough with all the other people around and she was certain she did a good job then keeping her cool. Hands reach up and tug her beanie lower in a futile attempt to hide under it.

"Hey, don't worry. It's not my business I was just curious about the girl interested in my team leader. She's young and pretty inexperienced but judging from your reaction she's not alone there, am I wrong?" Blake asks her brow lifting as amusement glimmers in them.

May can only glower for a moment before sighing and shaking her head in answer. She pauses before lifting her head her one visible eye finding shining amber ones. Building herself up a bit to talk to the girl she finally manages to speak. "Thanks... F-for not saying anything I mean. I won't either so don't worry." May replies as Blake gets a questioning look until May points to the top of Blake's head. "Y-you're a Faunus right? Your bow was twitching at breakfast when the blonde was being loud and I have a sharp eye." She clarifies, hefting her rifle strap with one hand for emphasis.

Blake tenses at the mention of her heritage her eyes scanning May intensely making the sniper even more uncomfortable as she starts to fidget and shift nervously until Blake relaxes and nods. "I appreciate you keeping it to yourself." The cat girl says before straightening up and heading past Zedong with a small wave moving towards the dorms leaving May with a small feeling of relief as if she just passed a test she didn't know she was taking.

When she arrives at NDGO's room her three accomplices are standing inside two looking sheepish while Dew just looks frustrated. "U-um. What's going on?" May asks softly stepping inside and closing the door behind her.

"We got nothing. After breakfast she spent all morning in the forges working on that massive weapon of hers. I think she would still be there if the Schnee didn't come in and physically drag her away to eat lunch, but then she went right back to it. She was listening to music but with headphones on so we couldn't even hear what kind." Dew admits annoyed that the target of her borderline stalking didn't reveal her secrets in the eight hours they spent watching her.

"Well... We learned she takes amazing care of her weapon. I get that it's a complicated weapon but she took her time with every piece. That's dedication." Nebula inserts trying to be helpful but aware it's still not much to really do anything with. May's own forming plan not aided or impeded leaving her to ponder until the door swings open again as Gwen comes in dropping a small notebook off in front of Dew before moving to her bed and sitting on it and pulling out a book to study without saying a word.

Dew blinks and opens the note book to the dog eared page before blinking rapidly and looking over at Gwen. "Wh—what? How did you find all this out?" She asks incredulously as Nebula grabs the notebook to look at it with Octavia reading over her shoulder. Gwen however fixes Dew with a glare.

"While you were busy with your stalking—"

"Careful observation"

"—Stalking. I did the intelligent thing and asked her teammates about her. Said it was for a friend who was too nervous to say anything yet and I wanted to help them out. All true." Gwen states and May blinks rapidly. Not because Gwen was helping her. While unexpected yes it's also the most likely way she'll get peace and quiet again. No, the part that surprised the quiet sniper was that Gwen considers her a friend. A small shy smile grows on May's lips that apparently doesn't go unnoticed as Gwen glances over and lets out a 'Hmph' before going back to reading leaving her team to share the information she gathered.

Nebula clears her throat then and draws attention to herself. "Well, I guess the primary concern can be laid to rest. She's a lesbian, according to her older sister, the blonde, she came out to them about a year ago." Nebula blinks. "How did you even ask that Gwen?"

"I didn't, when I mentioned that I was asking for someone who was to nervous she guessed half right. She assumed the interest was romantic but also that it was a guy and her words were. 'Sorry, you'll have to tell your friend he won't have any luck. My lil' sis is as straight as her scythe.' Not how I planned to get that information but you know, gift horse. Mouth. I didn't bother to correct her." Gwen says waving her hand dismissively, as May's hope for the situation grows despite that hurdle not evening having occurred to her yet.

"Well... Alright then let's see. She plays video games, eats a frightening amount of cookies but apparently prefers strawberries. We can use that, I saw a spot in the city that could help there. Aha, this explains today. She's a huge weapons nut, her own weapon being treated like one would expect a parent to treat a child. Ehhhhh, nothing on her music taste but that's negligible right now. Hmmm... She doesn't seem to have many friends and those she does have she acquired recently. A bit socially awkward but that could just be because she's so young and trying to fit in with students two years ahead." The green eyed leader reads out contemplatively.

"W-well... I have an idea what I want to do." May inserts, immediately drawing the attention of everyone in the room with the possible attention of Gwen, May still can't tell how interested she really is. "I was thinking I could challenge her to a little anonymous marksman competition. With targets and time limits, maybe a bonus round? I dunno..."

Dew having been strangely quiet this whole time can't seem to contain herself any longer as she skips across the room to grab a blushing May and swing her around. "That's an amazing idea! And a prize can be waiting for her at the end or a task she has to perform. Either way you get a date win or lose!" She states inserting her own addition that the poor sniper hadn't considered yet drawing a familiar self-conscious groan from the love-stricken girl.

"U-um... I need to write up the rules and stuff for the competition. C-could I ask you girls to help get a few things from the city? I can give you the lien for it." She asks trying desperately to avoid going herself and subjecting herself to the crowds.

Octavia saves the day for May by nodding with a kind smile. "Sure thing May, I felt like a bit of a failure earlier when we didn't find anything out so we can make up for it now. What do you need?" She asks softly.

"U-um. Strawberries, chocolate dipped ones and normal ones please, a basket. A-and um A bag of green sticks or cylinders. Doesn't really matter what they're made of, they just need to be green like flower stems and thin." May replies as Nebula writes down a little list and tears it out giving the sniper a thumbs up before the three of them head out the door leaving the last two behind.

"You know the green stick thing is clever, it's going to drive Dew up a wall until she figures out what they're for. I'm surprised you even know how." Gwen comments not bothering to look up from her book as May gets to work on her note of challenge outlining the rules. Suddenly she stops and looks up. "I forgot to give them the lien... I have to remember when they get back." May mutters to herself.

"They won't take it and you won't see a receipt. They want to help you." Gwen inserts turning the page startling May out of her thoughts.

"Why?"

"Because you're our friend obviously. They want to see you happy." She says as if talking to someone with a weak grasp on the language.

"But you barely know me..." May responds. Interacting with NDGO in the past day being the most she's spoken with anyone outside of her team in a long time.

"We know enough to know you're sweet if a bit antisocial. Fact is until yesterday getting to know you was hard and that was due to how little you interact with other people unless you have to." Gwen replies before shrugging. "Plus, helping you gets them two things. A new friend and getting front row seats to watching your frankly adorable attempt at courting an equally adorable girl."

"I'll have to do something for you girls..."

"Don't do anything for us out of obligation, it would fly in the face of their generosity." Gwen shoots back her eyes refusing to leave her book, nor does her voice change from its usual bored tone. With a thought May grabs her papers and moves to sit next to Gwen on her bed. The bed's owner shoots her a glance at that but doesn't comment to send her away. After several minutes of comfortable silence May speaks again.

"I'll do it because I want to do it, for my new friends." She says simply getting a small silent nod from Gwen along with a tiny smile.

**~later that night before curfew~**

A knock sounds against the door leading to the dorm room of team RWBY. A black haired Faunus wearing a bow answers the door seeing no one she looks down and smirks before calling her leader to the door.

Poking her head out in confusion Ruby looks down the hallway in both directions before glancing down and giving a small gasp, a basket sits innocently on the ground outside a white cloth covering the contents while a rose made using a carefully carved strawberry with a green wooden stick for a stem sits on top with a message. She carries the basket to the dorm kitchen to read the note away from her team.

_**Hello Ruby,** _

_**From the moment I saw your eyes my heart sped up so quick I was afraid it would burst from my chest. I am admittedly awkward when it comes to expressing myself so I propose a small competition with a prize waiting for you at the end should you prove victorious. A draw will of course go to you. Should the prize at the end prove insufficient I will of course try to come up with something new to satisfy. Should I win however I request that you humor me for an evening on a date.** _

_**The rules of the competition are as follows: Inside the basket you'll find ten targets with rods to secure them in position. For the next five days we will each place two targets a day at a random location on campus and take a picture on our Scrolls to send to each other once in position to observe. Picture must contain a recognizable landmark.** _

_**Once received your opponent will have ten minutes to locate and shoot the target while the planter tries to spot them. If you make the shot and get away without a picture of your or your weapon being taken you get the point.** _

_**Restrictions, no use of Semblance is allowed on either side. If you get the location of a target while in class reply once you are out and your time will start then I shall do the same. This is a one-on-one competition between you and myself, my poor attempt at flirting from a distance, please don't allow your team or friends to aid you in the competition I want to keep this between us two. I don't mind you telling them about it however, I wouldn't ask you to keep secrets from them.** _

_**Please send a 'yes' or 'no' to the Scroll number at the bottom of the page to let me know if you'll indulge me in this little competition. Either way, I hope you enjoy the flower. The treats in the basket are also yours regardless of your decision to compete or not.** _

_**With love, Longshot** _

Ruby's eyes go wider the more she reads, a dark blush growing on her face crawling up her neck to cover her cheeks. Even as the thought of competing like this excites her. The issue she started with between eating the beautiful strawberry rose, or trying to preserve it gradually forgotten. As she gets to the part about treats in the basket she slowly peels back the white fabric and gasps at the sight of numerous large fat chocolate covered strawberries in a sealed container waiting for her within.

"Oh that's playing dirty Longshot..." She says to herself her blush threatening to make her dizzy before she shakes her head and pulls out her scroll shooting off a reply to the number given before carrying the basket back to her room.

"Hey lil' sis, what was that about? Did someone give you a rose?" Yang asks looking at the odd little flower in Ruby's hand.

"It's a strawberry actually." Ruby replies getting her monochrome teammates attention as they turn to look at the little fruit flower.

"Wow, that's really well done." Weiss comments as Ruby brings it to her nose inhaling the delicious scent as if it were a real flower before taking a long savoring bite and moving the basket to her other things. Rose petals going everywhere as she uses her Semblance to dart around the room in order to disguise the hiding place of the chocolate coated treats from the others.

She then climbs into her bed finishing the rose and playing with the stick between her teeth as she stares at the ceiling of her room and completely missing the knowing smirk crossing Blake's lips.

**~Back in NDGO's room~**

May slides slowly down the inside of the door, breathing heavily as the tension slowly leaves her body her eye screwed shut as she tries not to scream, her Scroll in hand the message from her crush still on display.

_**'You're on Longshot'** _


	4. Game on

Edited by - Crescent Sunrise

_**'You're on Longshot'** _

May gets her breath and looks around the room the girls of NDGO giving her their full attention, even Gwen, as they wait to hear if May was successful. Dew is visibly shaking with anticipation, but the longer it takes Zedong to respond and the looks of disbelief she keeps shooting her Scroll are not encouraging. Nebula eventually walks over and brings the shy sniper to her feet leading her deeper into the room so they can give her some manner of comfort. "That's okay May, you tried at le—"

"She said yes"

"—ast. Sorry, what was that May?" The violet haired leader asks a bit surprised May spoke at all.

The sniper in question lifts her head, a little smile slowly tugging her lips as she looks again at her Scroll, that same measure of disbelief marking her face. "She actually said yes. She agreed to compete with me. I've got a shot and—" May is cut off as her Scroll beeps again and she looks down at it apprehensively the warmth in her chest hot enough to make her feel like she's about to start sweating drops again, forming a ball of hoarfrost in her gut as anxiety takes hold. _'What? Did she change her mind? But the challenge didn't even start yet! Did her teammate say something about me?'_

May's mind goes to increasingly dark places until Gwen rolls her eyes walking over and taking the scroll herself and looking at the message before showing it to May. "Look idiot, stop being so paranoid." The brown eyed girl admonishes though in a softer tone than usual.

May looks up at the scroll and blinks rapidly at the image shown with the message. It's a picture of Ruby grinning with chocolate on her lips. A few of the dipped strawberries arranged in front of her in the shape of a heart the message underneath reading. 'And thanks for the berries!'

Her heart seems to start again and the heat redoubles causing her to blush furiously while loosening her scarf letting the cooler air of the room slip across her neck. Her hand taking the scroll again before it's snatched away by an excited Dew. Her eyes wide and sparkling. "Oh look, look! She made a heart out of them! She's definitely flirting back now. And with the chocolate on her lips she's adorable! May, I'm so happy for you!" She finishes handing the Scroll off to a smiling Octavia who moves next to Nebula letting them look at it together.

"Th-thanks Dew I just—" She doesn't get the chance to finish that thought as the spear user envelops her in a hug swinging the light weight sniper around before letting her go sending May spinning until she gets her balance and sways drunkenly as she tries to get the dizziness under control.

"Oh this is perfect! Any idea where you're going to start? Oh! Can we help?" Dew launches a look in her eye that makes the shy sniper nervous as she carefully moves to put Octavia between herself and Dew reaching out to take her Scroll back before replying.

"U-um the competition is one-on-one... B-but um... Maybe keep eyes on her and her team so th-they don't catch me setting up? D-don't cheat and tell me where she is b-but a heads up if she's getting close to me would be nice... I don't want her to know it's me unless she catches me on one of her targets... Y-you know legitimate..."

A blue steel eye glances at the picture on her Scroll again, her shy smile growing a bit broader before she pockets it. "I'll spend my time between classes in a tree or something so I don't spot her placements." She adds with a nod intent on keeping the competition fair. "O-oh and you don't have to watch the black haired girl. Her name is Blake. She knows about me... She approached me earlier when we came to meet up. S-she said she wouldn't say anything so I want to trust her not to." The nervous girl adds before sitting roughly on a bed.

"Sure thing May, We'll try to keep an eye on them, just let us know when you're setting up and where so we can be sure to watch." Octavia supplies helpfully with a soft smile on her lips. A non-committal sound coming from Gwen to the surprise of no one.

"O-okay. Well I should get to my teams room to get some sleep for tomorrow. I don't want to be tired on the first day." May speaks up standing and pausing before moving first to Gwen who stares at her questioningly until May bends down to hug her. "Th-thank you for helping me so much. I-I know it was a bother." She says before letting go and smiling wider when Gwen turns her head away with a 'Hmph'. Still the sniper then turns to the rest of her new friends and hugs them each in turn thanking them all profusely on her way out the door.

She smiles at the door to her friends room after it's closed and makes her way towards her team room, pausing halfway when a familiar feeling causes the hair on her neck to stand up. Her hands stopping halfway to her rifle as she turns around facing the empty hall. Her hands continuing their motion only to keep going and shift her beanie. As if that were her intention all along.

A soft melodic laugh rings through the hall as a familiar clapping can be heard as the Cat Faunus steps from the shadows as if formed from it. "Smooooth. That fooled absolutely no one." Blake comments with a teasing smirk amusement sparking in her amber eyes as May's cheeks inflame in a bright blush.

"I'm only teasing. No I came to congratulate you actually. I'm impressed. And you've certainly gotten her attention. However, you've also gotten the attention of her sister and partner. I'll keep quiet like I said, it's not really my business but I also won't run interference for them. I'll tell you this for free though. Weiss seems more curious than anything, a touch concerned but that's natural with you pursuing her partner. Yang though has been... Strangely quiet since Ruby came back with the berry rose. Nice touch there by the way, definitely earned bonus points with that." Blake adds with a soft wink.

"Yang is a bit of a toss-up right now, I think she's still trying to figure out how to react. But I can promise when she figures it out it will be loud and potentially destructive. If you see her eyes turn red get out of her way. But if she's looking at you don't run away. It will be a waste of energy." She adds with a low chuckle. "You really did pick potentially the most dangerous person in the academy as the target of your affections."

"I-I didn't e-exactly pick h-her... I j-just... Saw her looking my way through m-my scope and... Yeah." May replies weakly before groaning tugging at her head wear again as her body instinctively tries to shrink smaller.

Blake starts to laugh again shaking her head ruefully. "That was it huh? One look and you got it bad? I thought she inadvertently helped you with something. Still though, you seem nice. She could do a lot worse. I'll see you around." She says before starting to turn around in order to walk off, pausing at the hand suddenly hovering in front of her.

"I never introduced m-myself to you... Breakfast with the cookies didn't count. I-it was just a way to get her to notice me a little bit... I'm May Zedong."

Blake stares at the hand for a long moment before a warm smile grows on her lips. "Blake Belladonna. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She replies taking the hand and squeezing softly before letting it go and actually managing to get a few steps away her head turning back to speak over her shoulder. "I'll see you around May."

The shy sniper smiles softly watching the elegant Cat Faunus walk away quietly, proud of herself for perhaps making another friend. Wondering to herself if it's too early to see Blake as such. _'It would be nice to know if I had a friend close to my crush. If for nothing else she can let me know if I mess up somewhere._ ' May ponders before turning back to her team room and heading towards it again. Swiping her Scroll to unlock the door before stepping inside unannounced.

Her three teammates are inside playing cards as they sit spaced evenly facing each other in the center of the room. When she enters though they pause and place their cards down to look up at her. Roy and Nolan opening up with a simple "Heya May." Brawnz however coughed awkwardly as he stood up.

"May, listen. I didn't mean anything by pushing you out the door. We all know you're not the most socially adept person. I also knew one day you'd take an interest in someone, and me pushing you out wasn't me not caring about your trouble, I was just trying to get you to people who could maybe understand and help better. I mean you know us best May, do any of us strike you as the kind of people you want advising you on your love life?" He asks sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.

"Hey! My love life is awesome!" Roy fires back only to glare at Nolan who immediately breaks down into laughter.

"... Point." May comments quietly earning her a betrayed look from Roy as Brawnz joins Nolan. The latter now holding his gut helplessly. It's a contagious sounding laughter. The right kind can have anyone nearby feeling brightened or even joining in even if they never heard the joke that started it. Slowly as Nolan and Brawnz lean on each other for support with Roy giving up his false irritation to chuckle lightly May gives her team a small smile the sound of her quiet chuckling joining in as a hand lifts to cover her lips.

"Aha! She laughs! Always a win for the team when we get a smile." Her team leader comments smiling at her warmly as he wraps an arm around the smaller snipers waist.

"So, mind telling us who the crush is on? You said it isn't us already, who's the lucky guy trying to steal our marksman?" Nolan asks relaxing back into his previous position moving his hand up to his eyes as the others settle back down.

"Not a guy..." May comments softly her cheeks growing darker as a blush creeps up them. Her team pausing their play to stare for a moment before shrugging and going back to the game. Nolan and Brawnz silently handing over some lien to a grinning Roy who looks entirely too smug.

"I'm not going to ask, because if that was about what I think it was about I'm not going to be happy." The shy sniper says her visible eye narrowing. Her comfort around the three males she shares sleeping quarters with exponentially higher than anyone outside of her parents.

"Just tell us who she is already. The suspense is killing us." Roy comments looking at the other two carefully over his cards as he throws a slip of paper onto a growing pile.

That's how team BRNZ gets away with gambling. By betting not with money but with chores. The week's tasks matching up with a chart that gets re-written after the game each week. The chores are written out and divided evenly, with one slip per chore for each day of the week. And at the end if you have the slip you don't have to help with that chore on the corresponding day.

May watches the game play out curiously. She always ends up trading her laundry slips if she gets them for other chores because she refuses to share her laundry duty with her team. It's not that she doesn't trust them enough for it. But better to simply avoid the situation altogether. They understood from the offset and it's yet to be a problem.

She lets the hand play out watching Roy pull in his winning before answering his question. "Ruby Rose. She's a student here at Beacon. Short, black hair with red tips, silver eyes, red cloak, uses a combination sniper-scythe. She leads the coincidently named team RWBY." She says in a quiet tone content in the soft silence purveying the room. The boys keeping quiet for a time as they rearrange their cards.

Curious as to why she wasn't dealt she looks at the chart for the coming week and blinks as they wrote in a pass for everything but laundry already. Spotting her look it's her team leader who answers the unasked question. "Felt bad pushing you out last night. Besides I'm sure you have other things to spend your free time doing this week?" The question in his tone begs for details as he turns back to his cards slipping them around.

"Actually... I challenged her to a marksman competition. One-on-one, two targets each per day for the next five days while I work up the nerve to ask her out and hopefully get her attention." At her teams incredulous looks of disbelief she blushes darkly. "I challenged her anonymously and used my guns name instead of my own. The whole thing is Dew's fault." She explained getting nods from the group. May doing something so brazen on her own would have light worrying flags with how out of character it seemed. But her being pushed into it and doing so anonymously fit her shy character far better.

Brawnz wins the next and last hands with a wide grin on his face as he looks over his winnings. "Well that's a nice little pile of things I don't have to do." He comments and stands handing Nolan the cards as May moves upwards as well turning to the guys. "I'm going to grab the shower first. My competition starts tomorrow and I want to make the first move." The sniper comments setting her rifle on her bed before grabbing her pajamas and a towel.

She steps back out pleasantly clean and dressed her towel wrapped around her hair and covering her left eye. She moves to her bed next setting her beanie on one of her bed posts before getting under her blankets as one of the guys moves into the bathroom. A blinking light from her Scroll draws her attention as she pulls it closer from her nightstand and flips it open to read a number of messages scrolling down.

_**'RR - Heya Longshot, I was wondering you know. Since you're kinda doing this whole competition thing with me if you would mind if we messaged back and forth? Get to know each other a bit?'** _

_**'RR - I mean of course we don't have to if you don't want to but I don't see why you wouldn't.'** _

_**'RR - I mean you did set all this up for me and the rose and the strawberries and the letter and stuff.'** _

_**'RR - But you know, no pressure or anything whatever you're comfortable with.'** _

_**'RR - So I'mmsdsaonfdujak'** _

_**'RR - So why all the secrecy? You got somthin to hide Longshot?'** _

_**'RR - Ignore that! Yang stole my scroll. You don't have to answer anything you don't want to.'** _

_**'RR - You know, if you respond at all.'** _

May blinks at the string of messages a rare smile spreading wide on her lips as her body starts to shake. When she can't hold it in anymore she starts to laugh loudly letting her amusement show in the quiet of her teams' room. Once she calms down she wipes a tear from her eye and responds.

_**'LS - I would love to get to know you better Ruby.'** _

She doesn't even manage to close her scroll before it pings again. _'Well, maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.'_ The sniper ponders as she opens it once more to see the new message.

_**'RR - Oh that's great! Well like you know I'm Ruby Rose and I...'** _

May got a lot less sleep than she intended but couldn't bring herself to regret the decision in the slightest.


	5. The opening volley

Edited by - Crescent Sunrise

A hand shoots out from under covers to tightly grip the beeping scroll A bleary eye opening to look at it before it's turned off and a certain red headed sniper shifts herself up into a sitting position. Her teammates grumbling as they shift in their beds. She glares at the time on her scroll and wonders what ungodly force decided she should be awake so early only to then recall the messages the night before. A wide grin breaking over her face as she hops from under her covers and grabs her clothes. _'I kind of feel like we're the odd ones out at shade considering we're the only school without uniforms but at the same time it's nice being able to wear what we want.'_

With a shrug she moves into the bathroom and takes a quick shower before hopping into her clothes. A pale red skirt over white stockings with a white tank top under a zipped up black hoodie. The zipper she lowers to expose the top of the tank top. Her familiar warm jacket needs to be washed so if she has to be uncomfortable she'll at least look good doing it. _'I wonder if Ruby will like it?'_

The thought innocently pops into her head and lingers until she focuses on it, a blush spreading across her face before she groans squeezing her eyes closed. Her hands reaching up to rapidly dry her hair off with the towel before pulling her beanie down covering her left eye once more before she starts lightly tapping her head against the sink. _'Stupid Zedong, she doesn't even know you're Longshot why would she pay your outfit any attention? Why would she even look at you?'_

A myriad of self depreciation follows as May grumbles to herself, pulling the hood of her outfit up and stepping out of the bathroom. Her lighter combat shoes are put on last before she grabs her school bag and her rifle heading out the door. Her first target already in her pocket as she heads to the front of the school.

This early no one is going anywhere but the cafeteria leaving her completely alone as she glances around and eyes the top of a pillar. _'While easy to spot it won't be as simple to find a clean shot without me being able to spot her and snap a picture.'_ May ponders taking one last look around before pulling out the first target and climbing the hunter statue with it placed in her teeth. She braces and leaps off her hands grabbing a light pole and swinging up onto it before she spreads her feet on the horizontal surface. She turns the flat of the target towards the school building before securing it and dropping down.

_'It will be easy to figure out right where it is but it's only the first target.'_ She thinks to herself, pulling out her scroll and backing up and taking a picture of the target angling it so the statue is included as the landmark. Next she pockets the scroll and heads for the cafeteria intent to give Ruby a chance to wake up before starting the competition. Getting a few pieces of toast she spreads jelly across them and stacks the pieces carefully before getting a milk carton and pausing, smiling at the tray of cookies for people to take. Grabbing one she moves to sit in a corner near the entrance of the cafeteria where she can watch people coming in.

Her rifle leaning against the bench next to her she eats slowly, relishing the silence in her little corner even as the volume in the cafeteria itself slowly grows. The past two days of near constant human contact having worn May down in a way she didn't expect. A feeling of being tired and drained settling over her that slowly ebbs while she takes some time to just be by herself with her thoughts.

She remains like that until one of her new friends takes a spot across from her. Even then it still takes the sniper a moment to realize she has company her eye moving to take in the form of Gwen Darcy sitting with her in silence seeming content to eat her own breakfast, a sandwich made of egg ham and cheese, without comment. A fact May is grateful for letting her slip back into her pleasant silence after giving Gwen a warm smile in greeting.

It was not to last however as the Silence was almost immediately shattered by the ever enigmatic Dew. The walking sandstorm plopping herself down next to Gwen and grinning widely. "Hey May, ready to get the girl? Did you get enough sleep last night? When does your little competition start anyway?" She asks rapid fire leaving May a little lost as she's shaken from her reverie.

"U-um. W-well in order I suppose that w-would be no, yes I was just up a little later than I meant to be, and t-technically it's already started. I'm just giving her some time before giving her the first target. S-so she can get some breakfast." The sniper replies struggling to catch up to a semblance of normality as she tries to adjust going from peaceful serenity to quick and friendly interrogation. "O-oh and good morning Dew, Nebula, Octavia." She adds including the last two teammates as they sit down.

May falls back into silence enjoying the company of her new friends as she listens to them bantering back and forth. Her attention shifting with the conversation to her food and finally inwards to her plans for the competition. She can already spot some issues with it that might come up later but she'll address them after classes. She blinks as she realizes Octavia is looking at her waiting for an answer she clearly missed. With a blush she asks her to repeat it.

"I asked if you're cold May. You're wearing less than usual and your hoodie isn't even zipped all the way up." She mentions drawing the rest of her teams attention to May's outfit an insufferable knowing smirk crossing Dew's lips as she waggles her brows at the shy girl.

"Wow May, dressed to impress today aren't you? Why the sudden change? I thought the goal of your competition was to hit the targets and avoid being seen not to draw her eye and hold it." Dew teases lightly enjoying the dark blush taking over the poor girls face and neck as she draws her hood up to hide under it.

"M-my striped jacket needs to be w-washed so I had to go with a l-lighter one. If I have to wear this and b-be cold anyway I should l-look good doing so at least right? She questions while using the same logic she had on herself while picking the outfit out. Suddenly feeling like she should head back to her room and change into something else all together.

"Calm down May you look nice. I was just worried you would be uncomfortable." Octavia adds in before reaching out to pat the snipers hand gently. Breakfast devolves into gossip on team NDGO's once more as she soaks herself in the comfortable feeling of being surrounded by accepting friends. Once finished with her toast she wraps her cookie in a napkin and takes her carton of milk setting them aside as she turns over her empty tray to the staff. Once she get's back it's not long before team RWBY makes their appearance May grabs her things and passes them on the way out spotting Yang making a detour towards her friends.

She doesn't think anything of it though and keeps her cookie in her mouth letting the chocolate melt as the cookie softens against her tongue. A happy sound getting away from her. The cookies here are good, no small wonder Ruby likes them. She makes a detour towards the sparring area and extends her climbing axe to get up a ways above the door before securing her second target to the wall.

She drops down and takes a picture catching the team rotations for one of the rooms in the shot to use for a clue. A happy smile on her lips as she swallows some of her cookie and opens her milk to wash it down before starting on the rest taking her time getting back to the first target a strange confidence settling over her. She finishes both food and drink before reaching her destination throwing away the empty carton and picking out one of the small decorative trees to camp in as she finally sends off the image of the first target and starts a timer settling herself in to wait with her scroll's camera function open and ready.

It's six minutes later that she spots a brief flash of red and her eye focuses on it. Spotting Ruby creeping up on a corner her rifle already deployed as she takes aim. The look of concentration on her face nearly causes May to forget the picture but thankfully she gets a hold of herself just before Ruby can get the shot off and slips away.

May takes a moment to pause looking over the image smiling at the tip of Ruby's tongue poking out as she lines up the shot. It's an adorable image truthfully but nothing on May's new background image. The one of a chocolate lipped Ruby smiling back at her with an arrangement of strawberries in a heart shape. An image she took just to send to her secret admirer. A picture she took just for May. The thought turns the now familiar heat in her chest to an almost scalding temperature.

**_'LS - You're really cute when you're concentrating Ruby. Lucky me I got to see it, unlucky you I caught a picture of it. Continue the day's targets after classes?'_ **

**_'RR - I can't believe you got that! I didn't see you at all. Don't worry though I'll get you back for it. Also think we should trade off who's shooting so we don't try to send it to each other at the same time?'_ **

**_'LS - I look forward to seeing you try Ruby. And that sounds like a good plan. Ball is in your court.'_ **

May is decidedly chipper as she bunches her legs up on her branch to get ready to leap down only to freeze as a mane of blonde hair shows up looking around the area with narrowed eyes. She slowly walks around her eyes scanning as May carefully edges around her small bit of cover, the trees really not big enough to hold up to scrutiny as she keeps an eye on the blonde carefully. Her breath being held tightly as Yang draws nearer.

Just when May is sure she's going to get caught she hears Yang click her tongue in irritation before stalking off her hands clenched at her sides. May's breath is held for several more moments after before being releases in an audible 'whoosh' followed by rapid breathing after. This is not something she can keep doing. The constant worry of having Yang catch her out does horrible things to her stress levels.

It's not even that she's afraid of the brawler beating her up. Oh, she carries no illusions that if the golden haired fist fighter gets violent May can do little more than potentially annoy the girl further before being pummeled, the sniper just isn't built for that kind of combat. No, May just can't deal with the confrontation. The intimidating glares and shouting and threats. The shy sniper can put a dust round through a grim before most could even see the thing. But make her come face to face and confront another person in a social situation and her options become mumbling, looking for ways to run away, and trying not to devolve into tears.

So, with a confrontation like that hanging over her head like Damocles sword. It's eventual occurrence inevitable if she wants to continue trying to pursue her short, adorable crush. May made a hard decision. She decided to make the confrontation happen on her terms, in a place of her choosing, where she can run away at any time. She resolves not to run, but having the option is calming on it's own. With that decided she grabs her things and heads for her class sharing a battle class with team RWBY just before lunch.

_**'Ms. Belladonna** _

_**I understand your teammate Yang wishes to speak with me regarding my interest in her sister. Should the three of you, I of course mean Ruby's partner Weiss as the third, wish to speak with me please meet with me tonight on the roof of your dormitory. This isn't meant for secrecy but more for personal comfort. I understand Miss Xiao Long's concerns and hope to put them at ease. I am after all a faceless voiceless person with an interest in her sister that for all she knows could be unhealthy. I assure you I'll explain why I'm doing it this way when we meet but ask for patience from her until then. Also, please don't bring Ruby with you when you meet me. I'll let her know myself that I'm meeting with you three as I wouldn't ask her to lie to you I won't ask you to lie to her either. Once more, I promise to explain myself if given the chance.** _

_**With thanks,** _  
_**Longshot'** _

Looking over the note she nods and folds it up. Bitterly wondering for a moment why she's so capable of eloquence when writing a letter or messaging on her scroll but when it comes to speaking everything comes out as garbled as her nerves. Standing at the end of her shared class she takes a long breath before hurrying up to the team and leaning on their shared desk in front of Blake, her fingers pushing the folded note under a book as she gives them a brief greeting before pushing off again and heading out the door.

Making it outside she leans against Nolan roughly looking drained. "Jeez partner, you look like you're walking to your death you just gave them a note and are meeting them later nothing to get worked up about." He replies and she gives him a glare before lightly punching his arm and mumbling.

"O-oh yea? W-well wearing sunglasses indoors makes you l-look like a tool." She says giving a small smile and tugging down on her beanie when her partner starts to laugh at her attempted insult.

After classes finished up May decided to hang around a more central location in the school instead the woods on the edge. The library, not actually inside the library mind you. It has rules about weapons and while they don't pat down students walking in or even use a metal detector a semi-automatic, sniper rifle/axe is a bit hard to overlook. So an alcove in one of the small gardens near it is quiet and secluded enough to let May relax while she waits for Ruby to send her the target. It helps that she spots a few other locations to use while she sits waiting.

Her Scroll goes off after a short time and she blinks recognizing the roof of the library in the image. Cautiously she glances upwards and quickly hides her scroll as she spots Ruby hopping down from the roof to land in front of her. "Oh hey May! How are you doing?" She asks politely but her eyes keep flickering upwards oblivious to May's nervousness as the older girl edges away.

"I'm j-just f-fine R-ruby. I-I'll s-see you l-later." She barely manages to say before sliding around a corner and away from the beautiful silver pools. She does however watch Ruby head inside a building nearby in order to watch the area from a window.

May gives herself a small smile as she follows Ruby inside and carefully keeping a distance between them. Watching the floor Ruby stops at before heading up another floor and opening a window while twirling a silencer around the end of the rifle and looking down the scope. Before Ruby can realize the mistake she made in watching the target and not the potential angles on the target May puts a weak dust round into the target and darts off to the sound of Ruby shouting "WHAT?!" from below her waiting for Ruby to pass her in a closet before heading downstairs and getting ready at the next spot. Still dreading the meeting later tonight but at least feeling a touch better.


	6. Meeting the team

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

_**'RR - Are you sure we have to stop at two a day?'** _

_**'LS - It's technically four considering it's two each. But yes, if we kept going it might draw to much attention from staff and Professor Goodwitch scares me. Besides I need to tell you something.'** _

_**'RR - Fiiiiiiine, but what do you need to tell me?'** _

_**'LS - I'm going to let your team know who I am tonight. Mostly so they don't have to worry about the mysterious stranger trying to anonymously steal your heart.'** _

_**'RR - Wait you're telling them but not me?! That is so unfair.'** _

_**'LS - Think of it as further incentive to catch me Ruby. Letting them know who I am is easy. I didn't fall for your teammates after all. And while I'm not going to ask them to keep it a secret from you I just ask you be patient with this. Try to find me on your own or wait to the end of our game. No matter who wins I promise to put myself in front of you.'** _

_**'RR - These strawberry roses are really beautiful Longshot. I've never seen anyone make them before. I wouldn't eat them if I thought I could keep them from rotting.'** _

_**'LS - I see you found the one I left you. I will happily make you one anytime you wish. Provided I have the sticks. I hope you're holding onto those because they're annoying to find in the right color, or so I've been told.'** _

_**'RR - Been told?'** _

_**'LS - I don't do well in crowds or around strangers in general. They makes me uncomfortable so I avoided them when I can. I have friends I usually ask to do my shopping for me when I can. Still need to go myself for things like clothes.'** _

_**'RR - Would you go if I asked?'** _

_**'LS - I would, though I can't promise I would be great company. I really hope you aren't upset about me exposing myself to your team and not you. After the first target I set up your sister showed up and while I'm terrified of confrontation I think with her it might be inevitable.'** _

_**'RR - Hard to say, she's my big sister so she wants me to be safe but at the same time she wants me to meet new people all the time and have new experiences. I didn't really have any friends before Beacon and, according to her anyway, a weapon isn't a friend.'** _

_**'LS - Preposterous, weapons help keep you safe when you're alone, they are reliable so long as you take care of them in return, and they're the perfect listeners. Sounds like an amazing friend to me.'** _

_**'RR - I KNOW! Oum finally! Someone who gets it! Well I'll let you go now so you can hopefully not get killed by my big sister. Let me know if she does anything. I love that she's protective but I do get a say in how I live my life. I want to at least talk to you in person before making a decision one way or the other.'** _

May smiles at her Scroll looking at her background for a moment before closing it up. _'Hopefully not get killed huh? Glad to see my rose is so concerned.'_ She thinks to herself before sitting up and turning to face the room at large.

"Are you sure you don't want us to come with you May? We've seen Yang fight in battle class and well... She's really good." Octavia offers looking worried as May shifts a bit from foot to foot nervously.

"N-no I g-got this. I d-don't want to give her the wrong impression. I-I just want to talk. L-letting them out number me will hopefully help them to understand I d-don't mean any harm. Besides, Blake is f-friendly at least." She replies before frowning at herself tugging on her beanie. Her stuttering a constant point of irritation to her especially when all she wants is to make a good impression.

May waves her goodbye to her friends before moving out towards the resident student dormitories. A bag with the supplies she uses for making the strawberry roses in hand with her rifle slung over the opposite shoulder. She pauses outside the building to look up at the shattered moon as her mind races with 'what ifs' and the siren call of uncertainty tries to lure her back to the safety of her teams' room.

With a shake of her head she does her best to stomp on her nervous doubts and moves inside keeping to the stairwell as she moves straight up to the roof. Checking the time she realizes she has a little bit before she can expect company and seats herself down placing the butt of her rifle inside her folded legs and moving the frame to lean against her shoulder. From there she closes her eyes and let's herself fall into a shallow nap. The cold nipping at her neck until her hood is drawn up.

Her tiny bit of rest is interrupted when the door to the roof is opened and the golden haired fighter can be heard from behind it. May gives a small start, her heart hammering in her chest so heavily she's certain they can hear it across the roof as she focuses on what's being said.

"We should have asked JNPR to keep an eye out or something at least. Longshot could just be some kind of creeper trying to get us away from Ruby long enough for her to try some... Or I could be wrong." Yang states, blinking as she notices the huddled person sitting with her legs crossed across the roof. Watching as she shivers in the wind before shifting to set down her rifle and opening a bag next to her. Slowly pulling back her hood a small nervous smile on her lips.

Yang stares for a minute before a memory seems to click. "Cookie girl is Longshot?" She asks curiously much to Blake's amusement and Weiss's consternation.

"She did tell us her name Yang. It's May Zedong, and maybe we should go talk to her now? She's staring at us." Blake replies using both hands to push on Yang's back and get her moving before stepping up next to her.

May shifts again as they draw near her eyes darting about making sure all of her escape routes are clear for no reason other than to set her mind at ease. She waits for one of them to speak after they sit down in front of her with Yang leaning forward one arm propped on her knee. When no one says anything at first however May looks up from her intense study of the dorms roof and straight into lilac colored eyes. _'Well at least they aren't red yet.'_

"S-so you want—"

"You're really Longshot?" Yang interrupts with her question the startled sniper already thrown a bit by its abruptness. Uncertain if Yang had been waiting for her to speak or if it was for another reason.

"Y-yes. W-well no, not rea—"

"So you're not Longshot? Then who's trying to get Ruby's attention like this huh? It's really suspicious you know." She interrupts again and this time it's Weiss that steps in rubbing her forehead with exasperation.

"Will you just calm down you oaf? Let her talk at least." Weiss huffed

Her words seem to bring attention back to May and she shifts a bit more before trying to speak again. "L-longshot is my rifle. I-I just borrowed the n-name for the notes and stuff." She explains patting her gun gently. She feels like a tension is growing around her and let's herself fall into a little distraction as she pulls out a few sticks, a small knife, and a basket of strawberries from her bag setting the basket between them and grabbing one of the bright red fruits. "H-help yourselves."

"So, what are you intending to do with my sister?" Yang asks after pausing to watch what May was doing. Her eyes now following the sniper as she uses the knife to carve slowly into the berry.

_'Anything she'll let me.'_ is the first funny and wildly inappropriate response that comes to May's mind and while sorely tempted to say it the sniper knows she never could. Not only would making the joke be an embarrassing thing to say and admit to, no matter how true a statement. But, it would also be particularly unwise to make the joke to her crush's protective older sister. "Nothing r-really yet, w-we barely know each other. I'd l-like to get to know her better f-first before looking at anything beyond that. Maybe take her on a date?" She admits the blush forming and spreading rapidly across her face more from her thoughts than what she said.

Weiss reaches out taking one of the fruits for herself before looking around suspiciously for her partner. With her favorite food out in the open like this it's a bit surprising they aren't already gone in a flash of rose petals. "Why all the secrecy to begin with? I mean, this all seems needlessly elaborate. You could have shown up at the door with one of those strawberry roses and asked her on a date and gotten a yes you know."

This statement is met with a low groan from the sniper as she stops carving for a moment. Her head bowing as her free hand tugs on her beanie. "Th-that was the original plan... B-but then Dew said I needed to make an impression. But I got nervous at the thought of doing anything other people could witness and I d-don't like putting myself on display s-so I came up w-with the competition. I-it's been working out pretty w-well so far, sh-she seems to be having fun at least." May replies with a little smile before turning her attention to the berry in her hand.

"I have a question now actually. If you don't like the attention why dye your hair pink?" Blake inserts genuinely curious. Nothing about the girls' demeanor matches her choice of hair color.

"I-it's not pink! And I didn't dye it, it's natural. The color is actually 'Dusky Rose' it's a light red, n-not pink." She replies pulling up a bookmarked page on her scroll and showing it to Blake with a pouting huff her eyes narrowed ineffectively at the Faunus girl. Blake holding her hands up defensively with an amused smirk on her lips.

They sit in silence for a moment as the sniper returns to carving the strawberry into a more floral shape the others seem content to watch in fascination at the care and detail the sniper puts into such a small task.

"So why do you cover your face like that? Every time I've seen you you've had that beanie pulled down over that side of your face." The blonde brawler asks bluntly her eyes speaking of idle curiosity. Though as May shifts uncomfortably the looks becomes more suspicious before she shakes her head. "Nah, never mind, it's clearly something you're self-conscious about." She says shaking her head as she grabs a strawberry for herself, popping it into her mouth.

"It's not fair." She adds with a long sigh.

"H-huh? Wh-what do you mean?" May asks worried about the sudden dejected nature in the blonde. The last thing May wants is to be a disappointment here. Already mentally cursing herself for being so shy and uncertain.

"You know, ever since I started dating I've been looking forward to seeing someone getting interested in Ruby so I could go at them and give the full Xiao Long threatening speech. The big sister version but... You're so shy and I can tell how nervous you are I just don't have it in me to scare you. You and Ruby are both awkward but where she gets motor mouth you seem to get twitchy. Like a cornered animal and it's kinda sad to see." The blonde comments with a long sigh. "So I'll let you off with the quick version. You hurt her, I'll hurt you so on and so forth... Man this is kinda disappointing."

The blonde seems to be more upset by missing out on her anticipated speech than anything else as she leans back, her hands planting on the roof behind her while her feet balanced on her heels wave back and forth. Her interest in the confrontation lost until Blake gives her partner a small smirk and comments. "Well, at least now you can tease Ruby with the fact you know who her secret admirer is." The Cat Faunus gently reminds bringing a wide happy grin to Yang's face. And a groan of long suffering from the heiress.

"Why did you have to give her that idea Blake? She's going to be insufferable now until she gets bored of it." Weiss complains rubbing her face with her palms.

"Oh calm down Weiss, you just need to chill out." Yang replies with a smile far too wide for such a terrible pun, willfully oblivious to the groaning of her teammates. No, she's more proud of the little chuckle she managed to get from the shy sniper who even now is trying to hide her smile as she focuses on finishing the strawberry flower. The stick sliding into the bottom with practiced ease.

"Those really are impressive. You put quite a bit of effort into making them don't you?" Weiss comments watching as the sniper turns the fruit rose slowly. Her knife making small cuts and adjustments before she smiles at the result and slides her collected shavings into her mouth for herself.

"Th-they aren't that good... I just try to make them look nice for Ruby. She told me she likes them so I w-want to make them look as nice as I can." May comments bashfully as she puts her knife away along with the basket before finally extending the rose to Yang.

"W-would you mind giving her this one for me? I told her I w-would be meeting you all and w-while she seemed to understand she was still a little upset..." The sniper explains before moving to get up. A low groan leaving her lips as the chill and stiffness in her legs born from sitting in the same position on the roof for so long reminds her why it's a bad idea to do so.

"Well May, I won't get in the way of your little plan, unnecessary as it is. So relax and show my little sister a good time. She gets so excited talking about it she starts to ramble so you can tell it's something she's having a lot of fun with." Yang adds standing up herself and stretching out grinning at the widening smile crossing May's face.

With the three waving their goodbyes and a small warm smile from a parting Blake May packs up her things slings her rifle and opens her scroll.

_**'LS - You don't have to ambush her, she was actually really nice.'** _

_**'RR - Wait really?! I thought after tonight you might not want to keep going.'** _

_**'LS - I do, she did mention a big sister version of a Xiao Long threatening speech?'** _

_**'RR - I should have expected her to do something like that after did had a talk with her first boyfriend.'** _

_**'LS - Well she gave me a pass on it which I am immensely grateful for. Oh! I forgot to thank her for coming up and giving me a chance. Would you mind passing on my thanks Ruby?'** _

_**'RR - Sure thing, see you tomorrow Longshot.'** _

_**'LS - You'll try.'** _

With a happy smile May heads down the stairs and moves towards NDGO's room to let them know how her night went. Humming a little as she walks.


	7. She of the adorable pout

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

May sits twirling her pencil idly in her history class. Her normal jacket now clean and hugging her frame comfortably. With its horizontal strips of white and red and its soft lining running along her arms. Its presence like a security blanket making her feel safe and certain of herself again facing the day with a smile. Thankfully her team grabbed a spot near the back of the room so she can watch the teacher and her crush without being obvious.

Speaking of her crush, a small fond smile plays over her lips as she watches Ruby's head loll back and forth slowly, coming dangerously close to hitting her head on the desk while simultaneously earning the ire of her partner. The white haired heiress practically shaking in her irritation, clearly torn between keeping up with her notes and berating the ebon haired girl next to her.

Team BRNZ has a system, like they do for most things. When it comes to taking notes for the day they rotate. So three people can focus on what's actually being said while the fourth focuses on the fine details. The group finding the practice easier than trying to do both at the same time and it's worked so far so why fix what isn't broken?

And currently her focus is centered on the usually energetic Ruby who finally lost the battle with lethargy, her head hitting the desk with a loud 'THWACK' only to shoot back in her chair and look around in stunned surprise. The teacher either having somehow not noticed or having willfully ignored the sudden interruption without the slightest break in his speech.

May doesn't know which would impress her more. To be so passionate about the subject you're teaching as to not notice something so distracting happening right in front of you. Or to be able to watch that happen without missing a beat in your presentation.

_'It could just be that he's immune to it by now. Teaching warriors for years I'm sure she's not the first to be more interested in how to slay the Grimm than the history behind them.'_ May ponders before shrugging. She can see both sides, history is important in teaching lessons to those still living. But focusing too much on it can cause someone to lose sight of the present.

May turns her attention back to the teacher and her beau and struggles not to giggle as it seems Weiss has finally lost her cool and begins to chastise a crestfallen Ruby. The girls voice a kind of whispered shout that isn't heard from a distance but carries an effect as if she were outright screaming her frustration.

The sniper is suddenly even happier that she's far in the back. If she were closer she would be tempted to hug her crush until the girl smiled again. It's not like the pout was wrong. In fact it suited Ruby to a scary level. It was just adorable in a way that made May's heart clench and spasm. She briefly worries she's having a heart attack and the look isn't even directed at her.

May must never let the girl find out how strongly that pout affects her or all hope for the shy sniper will be lost.

It was during lunch May had her next up close encounter with Ruby and this time entirely unplanned by anyone. The sniper had sent her team on ahead passing up on lunch to get some maintenance done on Longshot before messaging the same to NDGO.

In the academy's weapon workshop she set down her rifle and began taking it apart slowly. Oh sure she could pull it apart and put it back together in under a minute with a blindfold on but there was something more personal about taking her time. Treating every part with special care as it's removed and set aside to be cleaned polished and put back on.

"Heya May!"

And just like that the spring used to extend her climbing axe fires off without the restraining bolt, launching the blade forward to embed itself in the wall as the sniper herself let's out a strangled sound and nearly drops her gun as her rear shoots a foot above her chair in surprise.

"Yikes! Are you okay?" That same bright and cheerful voice questions only now laced with clear concern.

Turning, May's visible eye takes in Ruby setting her Crescent Rose down on the bench next to her. Bright silver eyes worried as they look May over.

"Y-yes. I-I'm okay, y-you just s-startled me." May replies setting her rifle down on the table and tugging at her beanie before moving to pull the axe blade from the wall. It takes her planting a foot against the wall to get enough leverage to pull it out and return to her bench.

She glances over at the massive weapon Ruby is already cheerfully pulling apart. She pauses here and there slowly working the mecha-shift gears through their rotation before moving on to the next part.

"That looks really heavy." May comments softly to herself as she starts cleaning her parts slowly letting the task take over. She wasn't however expecting a response, she hadn't even expected to be heard. Instead she finds her muttered comment rewarded with a heavenly little laugh from the girl next to her. Not helpful to the shy sniper what with the fluttering it causes in her chest.

"A lot of people say that. But actually the gun is made as light as I could without suffering too much in durability. Most of the weight is in the blade and stock. The latter to counter-balance the former." Ruby comments with a small shy smile of her own. "Yang says it's like the ultimate fake out. Little girl looks super intimidating swinging around a weapon twice her size like it's nothing. I mean she's massive so she has to weigh a ton right? But that's where she fools you and—"

May blinks as she's suddenly bombarded with a combination of weapon specs mixed with anecdotes, issues Ruby had in designing the impressive weapon. Jokes her sister has made about it, jokes her uncle made about it, embarrassing moments from when she was getting used to it. Amongst other bits of information all coming at her so quickly the sniper has trouble retaining any of it in the verbal flood. Finally she closes her eyes and takes a deep breath ignoring the hammering of her heart she gently sets a hand on the smaller girls shoulder.

"R-ruby?"

"—and then I accidentally cut our drapes in half but, huh?" she pauses her rambling to look at May curiously.

"Y-you got off topic a l-little." May replies gently removing her hand, albeit reluctantly, a heavy blush settling on her face as she turns back to her own weapon. She watches as Ruby seems to realize she was rambling rather badly and immediately tries to clam up. A sight that brings a frown to our own shy markswoman. The look on Ruby's face it's anything like the pout from earlier. It's less cute and more genuinely morose. Unwilling to let it linger May tries again.

"S-so with it being that light and p-powerful, the r-recoil must be immense." She comments trying to gently draw the shorter girl out a little. And smiles to herself when she gets a response.

"Oh, yeah. Crescent Rose has a kick like a horse when the blade is extended. But I can mitigate it by anchoring the rifle with the blade if I need to." Ruby replies already looking more relaxed as she tries to ease into the conversation the flood of information can be seen in her posture as she shifts back and forth trying to contain herself.

"You s-sound like there are times you d-don't mitigate it?" May replies in a questioning tone, her rifles barrel in her hand as she wets a cloth with cleaning solution and uses a rod to grip the cloth and work it down the spiral.

"Oh, yeah well sometimes I use the recoil with my speed to go really, really fast. Or to get a boost when jumping. It's an awesome way to move around once you get used to it." Ruby replies her eyes shifting from her work to the taller girl next to her now and then before refocusing on her work to keep from getting caught staring.

"S-sounds like something that takes a l-lot of skill." May replies genuinely impressed as she starts cleaning the dust residue from the firing mechanism. She's been using cheap training rounds for the competition but even the low amount of Dust still builds up over time.

Ruby blushes again at the praise her hands moving behind her back as her upper body twists side to side. One foot weakly kicking at the ground as she replies. "Well it's not that impressive." Her voice is soft and her gaze refuses to fall on May landing all around her instead.

"I think it is. I've never met anyone else who could manage that." She replies carefully setting the blade in her stock and inserting the restraining bolt and drawing the axe fully back inside its sheath.

They fall into companionable silence after that both focusing more completely on their weapons and oblivious to the looks being shot back and forth by the other. May finishes piecing together her rifle and slings it over her shoulder she's about to leave when she pauses. A thought occurring to her that she never got around to asking.

"Hey Ruby?"

"Yeah May?"

"I like your cloak, you look good in it and it seems really warm. Would you happen to have a spare I could borrow or know where I could get one for myself in Vale?" May asks with a warm smile curious why Ruby draws her hood over her head. Concerned she upset the girl.

"I don't have a spare... But I'll keep an eye out in town for you." Ruby replies blushing from her roots to her neck and desperately hiding the fact under her hood before turning back to Crescent Rose. She doesn't initiate conversation any further as she seems to focus completely on her weapon.

"Oh, well thank you. I appreciate it. It's a lot cooler here than in Vacuo. I'm more used to the desert heat. Well, I'll let you get back to your weapon. Next class starts soon." May replies giving a wave before walking out of the workshop and leaning against the wall outside. Fighting the urge to smack her head against the wall.

_'Stupid, stupid May. You said something that upset her... I wonder what it was.'_ She ponders helplessly before sighing despondently and heading towards her next class her head down and trying not to drag her feet.

**~with Ruby~**

_'She's cute, I should have complimented her. But I've got the thing with Longshot I shouldn't start getting interested in someone else I said I would give them a shot. Besides I know Longshot is interested in me but I have no idea if May even likes girls. But what if she thought I was being rude by not saying anything nice after she complimented my cloak? And I'm so comfortable around her! She didn't even mind that I started to ramble a little and ugh! Stupid, stupid Ruby.'_ The little team leader groans smacking her head against the table a few times before sighing despondently and drawing her hood back. _'Don't be silly Ruby. Longshot is nice and sweet and makes the stomach flutters without standing next to you with a cute little smile.'_

She nods to herself before putting her Crescent Rose back together shifting it through its forms before collapsing it down and placing it on her back. _'Still... I did say I would keep an eye out for a cloak for May. And we would be bad hosts if we didn't try to make our guests comfortable. I'm sure Longshot would understand.'_

**~with May~**

She arrives in her Grimm Studies class feeling only slightly better than she did leaving the workshop. Only after realizing that she managed to relax enough around the bombastic ravenette to stop her stuttering for the last bit of the conversation. That helps her give a little cheer and while not able to keep her from worrying over having messed up somewhere it does keep the self-analysis from become debilitating.

"So, I heard from NDGO that you managed to talk to Little Red again in person for nearly the entire lunch period. I'm impressed. I was afraid we'd have to tie you up and leave you outside her dorm with a note pinned to you." Her partner jokes, sliding into the chair next to her with an easy smile. "We would have waited until after your little competition of course. Have to at least give you a chance to say it on your own." He adds.

Nolan Porfirio is not an idiot. That said no one had ever accused him of being a genius before either. Still, either through understanding, charisma, or stubbornness. Somehow he managed to get his shy partner to open up to him. At least a small amount. She still stutters at times but she doesn't shy away from him so in his mind it counts.

"A-are you seriously t-telling me three m-men might s-steal me from m-my bed, t-tie me up, and c-carry me off in the m-middle of the night? And y-you would be one of them? W-wow Nolan n-never took you f-for the type. Th-then again y-your weapon is a c-cattle prod." She teases back her eyes shooting from the desk in front of her to her partner and back again. Typical of the shy girl, unable to help the stuttering at all now she's flustered. Still little shots like that are something Nolan worked hard to get out of her.

"My Oum May, did you just make an inappropriate sex joke?!" Nolan asks complete with mock-gasp. Failing to hide his grin in the slightest. "Just wait until I tell Brawnz. But seriously, I'm proud of you partner. I know how hard it is for you to talk to people you know let alone a girl you barely know and have a crush on." He says wrapping her in a small one armed hug for a moment before letting her go. Grinning and proud of himself for the small happy smile on May's lips.

_'Maybe the day won't go too badly after all.'_ She thinks giggling a little as a trail of rose petals fly into the room just before the bell rings and the class can start.


	8. Blonde forshadowing

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

_'This day could not get any worse!'_ The shy sniper groans mentally. Nolan—true to his word of course—related her joke to Brawnz the second he sat down. She then endured the rest of the class listening to three boys poking innocent fun at her. Her face lighting up a dangerous shade of embarrassed red when Roy asked if she thought about borrowing Nolan's weapon to use after she wins Ruby's heart.

 _'Well I'm certainly thinking about it now... Image is going to be stuck there all day. Would Ruby even be into something like that? Am I even into that?! Well maybe with Ruby... Bad May! Focus!'_ She remarks to herself focusing back on the last target for the day. She knows where it is the problem is getting a clean shot on it without getting caught. Sticking straight out from the side of the building it only offers her two angles on it from a long distance. The issue is that she has to shot either facing the angle with Ruby on it and risk Ruby spotting the muzzle flash, or shooting on the side with Ruby and risk her hearing the sound of the shot.

The choice is tough but knowing Ruby is in the tree line, no doubt trying to avoid the issue of being in the same building as her target again. May slips through another building connected to her chosen perch hoping to go unnoticed as she makes her way inside. She moves up the stairwell and down a hall. Moving into the room directly across from the target she opens a window from the side and slips back out of the door leaving it open and across the hall into another room, parallel to the previous.

_'And NDGO can't hangout tonight. They're heading into Vale for a team bonding excursion and if I'm right that means they're going dancing. I'm surprised they got Gwen to go with them. But I suppose they are a team.'_

Next she starts lowering blinds to keep her location dark before twirling on her silencer and looking around for something to cover the flash. Seeing nothing that would work without risking catching fire she bites her lip. Her flush returning as she removes her jacket and the shirt underneath it before pulling her jacket back on and wrapping the shirt around the silencer so the barrel is covered by a single sheet of cloth.

Finally prepared May steadies herself and takes aim through the window across the hall and out towards her target. Unable to spot Ruby in the tree line but certain the short girl saw the window being opened. The feeling of missing her shirt is an odd one. Good thing the shirt isn't really a favorite of hers. Otherwise she might have had to use a sock. And a sock with a hole is not a sock May Zedong will wear. With no need to even mention that only wearing one sock would be weird.

 _'Besides walking around without socks gives me blisters and those really suck.'_ She continues mentally before lining up her shot and taking it. The shirt partially doing its job to hide the flash, but just in case May drops low, lifting her head up to be see the now destroyed target before dropping back down and carefully fleeing the area.

May finds herself at an impasse. She can start disguising herself and remove Ruby's ability to identify her should she manage to get a picture of May. Or the sniper can continue as she has been and allow the inevitable to happen. In the two days thus far in their competition each target has gotten increasingly difficult for May to hit without getting seen. With three days left and six more opportunities for Ruby to catch her out before she's ready.

As tempted as May is to disguise herself so she can make it through the game unidentified, she knows it defeats the purpose. Finding out Longshots' identity is half of the incentive she offered Ruby when proposing the game in the first place. To undermine it now wouldn't be fair to her adorable crush.

 _'Well I can at least not wear my usual clothes. She gets a picture of my hat, or weapon though and I'm sunk. And I'm not about to give them up.'_ She confirms to herself. She's about to knock on the door to NDGO's room when she remembers they're out in the city for the evening. She can only hope her team will have gotten their teasing out of their system by now.

She gets through the door to her room and sets her gun down next to her bed before flopping onto the soft comfortable mattress. Her visible eye closing until she hears her scroll going off.

She opens it and gives herself a little smile at the message inside, before starting to respond.

_**'RR - Heya Longshot, if you're not busy to you want to talk for a bit?'** _

_**'LS - Sure Ruby, do you want to talk about anything specific?'** _

_**'RR - Not really. How about alternating questions? If something's too personal you can pass.'** _

_**'LS - Sounds fine to me, your idea so you go first.'** _

_**'RR - Okay, Well I have a dog called Zwei, he's a corgi. Do you have any pets?'** _

May snickers at the question. Framed to keep her from just asking the same one and forcing Ruby to carry the burden of conversation. The shy sniper wonders for a moment if it's intentional before shaking her head and simply responding. Choosing to ask a question that's gotten her curious.

_**'LS - Nope, I've never owned a pet though I imagine it would have been nice when I was younger. I noticed you never seem to be without your cloak, even in your school uniform. I can assume it's important to you, may I ask why?'** _

_**'RR - My mom made it for me a long time ago. What do you do in your spare time?'** _

_**'LS - I like finding places people don't go often and the higher up it is the better. It goes hand in hand with people watching. I learn a lot through observation like that. Are you from Vale or one of the kingdoms?'** _

_**'RR - That sounds a bit lonely. But I guess it's less embarrassing than trying to talk to someone and running your mouth a mile a minute as you stumble around trying not to offend them like me. And no, I'm from Patch. It's an island off the coast. Signal is there! It's where I went before coming to Beacon. My Uncle Qrow teaches there! Man, now I'm curious where you're from but you just asked... Oh! Do you like music?'** _

May pauses and frowns for a moment. Ruby wants to know and just giving her where she's from doesn't necessarily give her away but it would be a strong indicator and wouldn't be hard to get found out from there. But on the other hand what the sniper has learned of her crush so far she finds it difficult to believe Ruby would do that. So she doesn't feel too worried answering the implied question.

_**'LS - It can be lonely yes, my partner will sometimes come out with me though and just hang out with me. He's pretty nice like that. I'm from Vacuo, the main city not one of the smaller villages. And yes, I like music but I left my head phones behind when I came here. It's okay though, I can just borrow my partners if I really want to listen to something. My preference leans towards classical and opera. So how did you manage to get into Beacon so early?'** _

_**'RR - Well actually I got the headmasters attention when I helped stop a robbery at a dust shop. Professor Goodwitch showed up and kinda saved me a bit. But the headmaster was still impressed and invited me to come to Beacon! He gave me some cookies too. Headmaster Ozpin is pretty awesome. So are you looking forward to the festival?'** _

The conversation carries on like that for a while learning more little innocent facts about each other and falling into easy conversation until Ruby stops to take a shower and work with her partner on her homework. Homework May had been working on in between messages. With a shrug she goes back to it and enjoys a mostly quiet night relaxing with her team until there's a knock at her door. Thinking it's NDGO she hops up and heads to answer it only to be greeted by a widely grinning visage and bright golden hair.

"Y-Yang?! Wh-what are you doing here? D-did something h-happen?" May asks trying in vain to relax her sudden tension as she steps to the side inviting Yang into the room. Watching as the brawler steps in with confidence looking around at the beds and her team mates before shrugging.

"I'll say something happened. You talked to Rubes, I'm actually curious what happened. You seemed pretty adamant about the whole keeping your distance thing." Yang questions curiously her head tilting as one of her fingers twirls a lock of her hair.

"H-how does everyone know a-about that? I only t-told NDGO and my team heard a-about it b-before my next class." May replies with a weak groan tugging down on her beanie still not particularly pleased with how spastic she seemed losing control of her weapon and stepping on an unknown landmine in the conversation at the end.

Yang shrugs in response before actually answering. "Well when I found out that you're the friend the black haired girl was asking for I decided to network a little since watching you two is adorable." She admits freely without the smallest hint of remorse for turning May's romantic pursuit into some kind of real life drama. The shy sniper blames Dew for this. "So, what gives?" Yang asks again bringing the topic back on track.

"I-I didn't p-plan it. I w-was just working on L-longshot and she c-came in and took the w-workbench next to me. W-we talked a l-little but I think I m-messed up near the end." May admits staring at the ground. Missing the excited spark flaring in Yang's eye so similar to the one of Dew whenever juicy romance gossip is mentioned.

"Weeeeeeeell. Don't worry too much about it. Oh, and make up an excuse to hold off on your little competition tomorrow. Trust me you'll be kicking yourself if you don't. I could tell you why, but it's more fun for me if I let it be a surprise." Yang adds with a wink before practically skipping out of the room. Leaving a sniper behind in a strange mix of emotion. Curiosity, frustration, nervousness, and just a little excitement anticipating it will have something to do with Ruby.

She moves back to her bed and grabs a towel and her night clothes before heading towards the shower. Determined to relax and knowing if she doesn't calm herself down she'll likely spend the night tossing and turning until exhaustion takes over. She's actually grateful it's her turn to take notes tomorrow, it will help distract her from Yang's surprise.

Letting the warm water cascade down her back running in cleansing rivulets over her flesh to carry away the remnants of a days' trials down to the floor and into the drain she leans forward against the wall of the shower. Grateful her team already handled their showers leaving her with all the time she wishes and with the academies industrial strength boilers she could likely stay under the water the whole night and not run out of the delightful spray.

Her hand slides up from her neck on its way to her hair only to stop and hesitate over the no longer hidden eye. Her mood begins to sour until she shakes it off letting her hand slide into her hair as she rubs shampoo into it. As the water rinses the suds out she turns the heat a bit higher letting the now hot water beat a soothing uneven march across her dusky skin as steam builds in the room at large.

She doesn't leave the shower for some time after that but when she does it's with a smile. Steam billowing from the open door to the bathroom as the fan inside fights to dissipate the thick cloud she allowed to form in her shower. Her bangs hiding her eye as she puts her jacket to hang from one bed post with her beanie on the other before sliding under the covers the lingering heat of the shower rapidly warming the cool space beneath keeping her from growing uncomfortable dressed as lightly as she is in shorts and a tank top.

"Good night guys." She calls out getting a trio of good nights in return from her team. Her eyes closing as warmth and relaxation send her into easy slumber with dreams featuring a girl smelling of strawberries and rose petals. Her last thought being a short and simple one.

_'Maybe today broke even.'_


	9. Benefits of a shy lesbian partner

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

May wakes the next day to Nolan staring down at her with a little grin on his face. The kind he usually gets before saying something that, were May a violent girl, would get him punched in the nose. Instead she just groans and pulls her blanketing higher, trying pointlessly to hide from him and his snarky comments at her expense.

"So, my shy lesbian partner gets a crush on a younger girl, starts hanging out with the all-girl team NDGO. Then has the drop dead gorgeous older sister of previously mentioned crush visiting her in the late of night. I swear May are you giving off some kind of pheromone? Are cute girls just really into the shy introverted ones? Or are you just wooing them in private with some hidden swagger you're keeping from me? Because I'm about to start taking notes if you surround yourself any further with attractive women." He points out with a smirk.

May only blinks before lowering her blanket to look at him curiously.

_'Wait, what? I... Well... Wow. Nolan has a point... Sort of. I'm spending a lot more time around attractive girls than I ever have before. But that's not really hard considering I only ever used to hang out with my team which consists of three men and me. Huh, I never even thought about it.'_

"Getting jealous Nolan?" She asks finally peeling herself from the sinfully soft sheets and tempting warmth of her bed to sit up.

"Eh, not really. After all, the more cute girls that hang around my partner, the more cute girls I have the perfect excuse to hang around with myself." He replies with a wink getting a pillow to the face in return.

"Don't make me start warning away my friends on principle." the shy sniper warns taking her pillow back and fluffing it before setting it back in its place and crawling from the bed.

"So you going to do what the blonde girl asked last night? Cancel a day in the competition?" Nolan asks idly as he sits on the side of her bed while she starts gathering her clothing for the day.

"Well, yeah. I figure it's worth the small risk. She could be telling me for a good reason I won't regret. Or she could be telling me to put a gap between me and Ruby. She could also be telling me because she's trying to help me with something. If it's the first then great, if it's the last then at least I know she's trying to help." She replies.

"And if it's the second?" Nolan asks softly.

"Then I have a decision to make. Is pursuing my crush worth going against Yang? If I'm successful then it will strain Yang and Ruby's relationship, and any idiot can see how close they are. So it would also hurt any I'm trying to form with Ruby. So would it even be worth it at that point?" May asks, shuddering softly as the nervous tension in her shy mind comes crushing down on her. Her thumb worrying at her lip. Before it can get between her teeth though Nolan's hand lands on her shoulder.

"Hey, it was a dumb question. It's definitely option one or three." He replies, soothing her a bit with a hand gently rubbing her shoulder before grinning again. "So, good dreams? I don't think I've ever seen you drooling in your sleep before; and that look! It was positively perverted! A certain dark haired girl with red highlights? Should I warn the blonde?" He asks enjoying the dark blush creeping over May's face, clearly flustered as she shoves him off the bed her stutter returning full force.

"S-shut up! It wasn't p-perverted you j-jerk!" She shouts, only blushing harder as she realizes he was teasing her again. Made a certainty by the fact her partner is even now, curled on the ground clutching his gut as he laughs himself hoarse. She contemplates kicking him then but as previously stated, May is not a violent girl. Instead she gives him her meanest glare... Which only makes him laugh harder before getting treated to the pillow again as she stomps into the bathroom to change. Her scroll tucked in amongst her things.

**_'LS - Hey Ruby, I know it's earlier than usual and sorry if this wakes you. But I hope you don't mind if I cancel the game for today? I was told yesterday evening there's something I need to do today and I don't know how long it will take.'_ **

She focuses on getting dressed and securing her beanie in place hearing a response hit her scroll before she re-enters the room proper and pauses to look at the message as she heads through the door.

**_'RR - Oh sure! I thought I might need to ask something similar myself a little later so it works out!'_ **

May ponders that for a moment wondering what Ruby would be up to taking an evening off but ends up shrugging. It's not really her business in the end. She is grateful however that Nolan has gotten control of himself while it seems Brawnz and Roy have gotten a head start towards breakfast.

**_'LS - Alright then, I'll see you later Ruby.'_ **

**_'RR - Oh haha Longshot, you're hilarious.'_ **

May smiles a bit at that and closes the messenger her smile turning to one more warm and tender as she looks once more at the background image.

"By Oum, you are nauseatingly sweet on that girl. I might have to make an appointment with a dentist." He states as she blushes lightly and starts pushing him out of the room heading for the cafeteria until he starts moving on his own power again. This time however, she manages to avoid rising to the bait of his teasing causing him to pout a little.

Entering the cafeteria May smiles her team seating themselves opposite NDGO for her benefit so she doesn't have to pick between them. It's a small gesture that touches the sniper and she gives Roy and Brawnz a small, grateful smile. The knowing glint in her leaders' eye as he feigns nonchalance, giving him away immediately.

She grabs a slightly more filling breakfast with eggs and ham, as well as her usual toast before seating herself and looking around, suddenly noticing the three knowing looks and one bored from NDGO. Dew looks like she's struggling not to blurt out what's on her mind as May looks between them her face slowly flushing under the attention.

"Wh-what? Wh-why are you all staring at me l-like that?" She asks tugging on her beanie demurely. Her words helping to get their attention off her. Well, It gets Octavia and Nebula to stop staring at least. Dew doesn't seem to have the same compunctions.

"I'm so happy for you!" Dew finally says unable to help herself only to be immediately silenced by Nebula placing a hand over her mouth.

"Dew, no! It hasn't happened yet. No spoilers!" She chastises sending and apologetic look across to a now very confused May. A vaguely helpless look crossing the snipers face as she wonders what is going on and receives no clues. Thankfully though Gwen rolls her eyes and looks across the table at May.

"Don't worry about it May. They're snooping again and it seems those three and Ruby's team are talking back and forth to each other now. I'm helping to keep them from doing anything rash."

"Helping?" Nolan asks after swallowing a bit of his egg.

"Yes, it seems Yang mentioned it all to JNPR, and I've been getting help from Belladonna, Schnee, and a quiet boy named Ren. Oh yeah, expect them to talk to you at some point May." Gwen adds sighing as she looks at the mild panicked look on Mays face only to blink as the sniper groans softly and sinks lower in her seat. Her hands gripping her beanie.

"Why is my crush on her so interesting?" She moans shifting with discomfort and pouting softly ignoring the cooing sound coming from Dew and Octavia at the sight.

"It's not that the crush itself is that interesting. It's just that you two are adorable on your own and watching you two dance around each other is like... Watching a basket of baby kittens spilling into a basket of baby puppies and then they start to play with each other." Gwen replies with a soft roll of her eyes. Her face looks stoic but May can spot the flecks of amusement in her friends' eyes as she comments getting a glare from May that intimidates no one and only serves to cause Gwen's lips to twitch upwards.

Between Yang's visit and NDGOs staring, May is feeling very uncertain about today. Her nerves are starting to fray as she finishes her breakfast and listens to the small talk bouncing back and forth between the two teams.

Getting into the history class she pulls out her note book and pen to take her notes for the team and sinks happily into the task requiring a great deal of focus to just keep up with the rapid fire string of facts and knowledge poured forth by the profess- sorry, Doctor teaching the class. The scent of his coffee having filled the room after years of constant consumption in the space doing wonders for her state of mind as she is allowed to relax at least a small amount.

It's a once more smiling and refreshed May that starts putting away her materials at the end of class standing to stretch and blink rapidly at the sudden nearness of a certain cute, red cloaked, team leader standing next to her the girls hands behind her back as one her toes make small circles in the floor.

The sniper starts to panic. Ruby hasn't ever approached her before, and no the workshop didn't count. Looking around her team has already made their way out, as well as Ruby's team, JNPR, and NDGO. It screams set-up and May struggles to just speak and not lock up.

"H-hello Ruby. How are y-you today?" She asks quietly forcing herself to finish packing her things. Before turning to face Ruby completely. Bag on one shoulder, rifle on the other. She does her best not to fidget too much… and starts a losing battle with her cheeks not to blush as her eyes are drawn into bright sparkling silver ones. The effort in looking away before her mind can get to distracted trying to memorize them is immense but necessary.

"Heya May, I'm fine. How are you? Wait that's not what I wanted to ask. I mean I wouldn't mind knowing of course, you're my friend and I always want to know if my friends are doing okay. But you don't have to answer that if you don't want to because it's not what I meant to ask. I just wanted to ask if you wanted to come into Vale with me today to see about getting you a cloak like you asked about. I mean you don't have to because you probably already have plans and stuff for today and I'm asking you kind of last minute and everything I know I said I would look around for you but I thought it might be nicer if we just went together to look that way I don't have to try and give you directions or anything if I do find something you'd like and there's no risk of you getting lost because you're not familiar with the streets or something. Cause you know if you got lost or something and it's because of the directions I gave you I would feel super bad and mrphmglprk?"

May blinks as her mind finally connects with her actions. One hand gently held over Ruby's mouth to dam the flood of words and give the sniper a chance to figure out what was said. Well, more like to stop the flowing river of sound leaving Ruby's lips that moved too fast for her to even keep up. Sometime during the third or fourth sentence the words all started to run together. After that it was just varied sounds she couldn't make out. It's adorable to May but also frustrating because she can't figure out what Ruby is trying to tell her.

"Ruby you w-were doing it again. I'm d-doing well, what was it y-you wanted to ask?" May replies with a small soft smile trying, and failing, to hide her blush again. That was when she noticed Ruby also blushing darkly and a few muffled sounds and the feeling of the smaller girl's lips moving against her hand before realizing she never removed it, and doing so rapidly when she realized that. Hiding the offending limb behind her back while her palm burned with heat where it had been placed against soft lips.

"Umm, I just wanted to know if you wanted to go into Vale with me today. Sparring after lunch is short today so we'd have plenty of time to look around for a cloak for you?" Ruby answers, this time at a speed the shy sniper can understand. It doesn't help her blush though and she blinks noticing the pieces clicking together.

_'Yang last night, NDGO this morning, Nolan and the guys leaving me behind. They were setting me up for Ruby to ask me on a date? Wait, is it a date? What about Longshot? Does Ruby not like Longshot? But Longshot is me! If she doesn't like Longshot and finds out we're the same person she might not like me either! Oh stupid Dew, stupid plans, stupid date! Wait Ruby said she would give Longshot a chance. So this can't be a date. Just her trying to help out a friend... Why is she waving her hand in front of my face?'_

"May? Hello? Sorry to spring it on you like that. I should have known you'd be busy or have other plans or something." The cute ravenette comments before turning around to hide her own embarrassment. Her Semblance activating and almost carrying them both into a wall when she feels the sniper grab her arm.

"N-no! S-sorry, I was just lost in thought. I w-would love to go into Vale with you." She says and it's half true. She would love to spend time with Ruby. But, she's not looking forward to going into town at all. To exposed, to many people, too much noise. But one look at the shorter girl and there's only one thought crossing May's mind.

_'Worth it.'_

"That's awesome! Okay so, meet in front of the statue an hour after sparring class?" Ruby asks then all excitement and energy before taking off rapidly after getting a nod from the quiet girl. A trail of rose petals left in her wake.

"I'm going to strangle NDGO." May states firmly to the empty room before heading to lunch spending the entire trip trying to convince herself to make good on her empty threat and completely unaware of the huge smile breaking out across her face.


	10. the absolutely not-a-date

Edited by: Crescent Sunrise

"Okay May, I think you're ready for your date." Dew comments. May's earlier irritation having managed to get as far as the lunch table with her friends before melting away as they started to congratulate her on getting her first date with the pretty Rose.

"G-girls I've said it before. It's n-not a date. She s-said she would give Longshot a chance s-so this can't be a date. Just two friends shopping." May insists weakly. Wishing to herself the not-a-date were actually a date. Still it's time she gets to spend with Ruby and that's good enough for her. She turns to Gwen with a pleading look biting her lip to hear the stoic girl's opinion.

Staring back the sniper wonders if Gwen will pass without comment before she sighs and walks over circling May slowly before nodding. "You're using the colors on your usual jacket as an overall theme. Smart, red and white work well on you. Looks good May, go have fun and try to relax. The crowds matter a lot less than the cute girl you're walking with." Gwen adds before nodding and stepping back earning herself a grateful smile as Octavia hugs May before letting her leave the room.

"You three are going to spy on them aren't you?" Gwen asks the room at large once the beanie clad sniper is gone getting an incredulous look from her teammates.

"Well duh, was there ever any question? We've been helping her all this time. There's no way we aren't following through now. The puppies are playing with the kittens and I'll be damned if I'm going to miss seeing our hard work in action." Dew states already grabbing her things.

"What hard work? Stalking doesn't actually count as work… does count as a crime however." Gwen replies without skipping a beat earning an indignant huff from Dew and chuckling from Nebula and Octavia.

"Now if only I could have gotten her to get rid of that hat." Dew mutters.

**~With May~**

_'Stay cool May. Okay bad idea, you're plenty cold already. Just try not to shiver too much. I blame Dew for this, my jacket was perfectly fine to wear! It's not a date!'_ Our sniper complains to herself as she pulls the light white zipper hoodie tighter around her front resisting the urge to zip it up because Dew told her not to.

_'She said I want to show off the red shirt otherwise there's too much white between the hoodie and the pants.'_ She pauses tugging a bit at the rich crimson fabric as she looks at herself in a hallway mirror, tugging her beanie firmly in place before nodding to herself and adjusting her shouldered rifle. Students encouraged to keep their weapons on them in town due to the increase in robberies of late.

With one last micro adjustment and a lot of anxiety, the sniper steps out and into the open. The sun still shining overhead as she makes her way towards the statue. She's early, she knows it but the last thing she wanted to do was make Ruby wait for her if she decided to do the same thing.

With a soft sigh of relief May notices the vicinity is lacking a certain ebon haired girl and sits at the base of the statue trying not to fidget. _'She still has half an hour. There's plenty of time.'_

She barely completes the thought when a blur of red comes to a stop in front of her swirling cloak trailing rose petals that slowly dissipate. Silver eyes look around quickly missing the figure sitting behind her before she lets out a similar sound only to erupt in a startled squeak when May speaks up.

"H-hello Ruby, looks like we're b-both early." The sniper comments with a tiny smile on her lips before standing and gently patting her pants to make sure there's nothing clinging to it.

"Heya May, you weren't waiting long were you? I mean I know I said half an hour from now but I wanted to get here early and I did but you're still waiting. You look good by the way, now I kinda wish I had put on something different too. Is it too late to run back and put on something different or would that be rude? I could bring you with me if you wanted I don't think you've seen the dorms here have you? Would you want to? I—" Ruby pauses to look at May, her not-date is standing there with mirth in her visible eye as she tries desperately to stifle her giggling.

"T-twice in one day. Words really run away with y-you don't they?" She asks gently smiling warmly as she looks at a now thoroughly blushing Ruby before gently shaking her head. "I-its fine Ruby, I just got here t-too so it's no trouble. You look nice, I usually see you in your uniform." May compliments not helping the blush on the shorter girl any.

"Oh thanks. I um... You look good too." Ruby replies repeating herself from mid ramble shifting side to side in uncertainty

They stand there awkwardly for a moment, both fidgeting as they wait for the other person to say or do something. Ruby finally can't seem to take it anymore and speaks up again. "So, want to head to the air docks? We can catch a ride there into the city." Getting a nod she smiles and starts heading that way, happy to be doing something, anything besides standing in front of the cute sniper after letting her mouth run off once more. She rambles when nervous, Ruby knows this well. But why is she nervous around May? They're friends already the awkward getting to know you part is over so why the frayed nerves? It frustrates the red cloaked girl to no end trying to figure out and she eventually gives up completely.

"Want to do anything else while we look around?" She asks, kind of hoping they could do something other than just look for a cloak and come back. It felt like a waste though she doesn't quite know why she feels that way.

"L-let's just head down and s-see what catches our attention?" May replies uncertainly, trying not to show that she doesn't want to hang around the city any longer than necessary. While also trying to relax as much as she can before getting there.

Getting into one of the school-to-city transports, May takes a seat and tries to relax as Ruby sits next to her. Suddenly very grateful for her lighter outfit as her skin starts to heat up again like a fire burning brightly in her chest. She rubs the spot over her head for a moment before shifting in her seat.

Spotting something odd she groans softly and closes her eyes letting her head lean back against the head rest. _'Just pretend they aren't there May, maybe Ruby won't notice. The last thing you want is her getting nervous about your shopping trip. But seriously? I told them it's not a date! What are they even coming to watch?'_

"Everything okay?" Ruby asks eyes glimmering with concern as she looks the sniper over. Getting a little nod in return.

"Y-yes, just the seat missing some padding." May lies shifting again a little bit before sitting up straighter. "It's fine, W-we won't be on the transport that long anyway." She replies opening her eyes and feeling her heart clench in her chest at the emotion in Ruby's eyes.

"Y-your eyes are so very expressive, it's beautiful..." May comments in a wondrous tone. It isn't until Ruby's eyes go wide in surprise that the sniper realizes what she said, looking away and clearing her throat. Blush spreading all over she misses the mirrored reaction from Ruby. The two unable to look at each other for the duration of the trip to the city.

Fortunately by that point, Ruby manages to get some of her composure back interrupting May's mental chastising of herself by clearing her throat again and standing to stretch as a way of putting her mind elsewhere. "Well let's just... Yeah, let's get looking okay? If something else draws your attention though we can make other stops." Ruby reminds the sniper softly getting her stride back and leading the way into the city.

May nods quietly and follows Ruby closely as if trying to hide behind the smaller girl. She can't keep it up for long however. A few minutes in Ruby seems to notice and slows down, moving aside so she's walking next to May instead, a sheepish look on her face. "Hehe, sorry May. I didn't mean to walk so fast, if you had trouble keeping up you should have just let me know." Ruby comments getting May to shake her head rapidly.

"N-no it's okay. You know the city r-right? You leading is only n-natural. I don't mind." May replies, but doesn't try to move behind Ruby again. Even when an actual couple walks by in the opposite direction forcing May to move closer to her crush. Something neither of them makes any effort to correct, leaving May feeling a bit elated. "S-so is there anywhere you want to stop by while we're here Ruby? Since we're just looking around for cloaks without a goal if there's somewhere you want to stop by w-we can look on the way there."

The suggestion seems to work as Ruby nods after tapping her chin. "There are a couple of places I should visit if you really don't mind. They're in the commercial district so it's not out of our way." She replies taking May's hand without a thought, leading the now flustered older girl around a corner at a brisk walk. "So May, what school are you from? I've never seen you in a uniform." Ruby asks.

"O-oh, I'm from Shade. There is n-no dress code there so long as you c-cover the important places. It's because Vacuo is a desert s-so any uniform would have to be light and breathing s-so there wasn't seen to be a real point." May replies trying desperately to hide how hard her heart is pounding from the soft contact of Ruby's hand. The heat from the girls touch scorching hotter than the sands at noon to the poor sniper.

"I hope I can visit Vacuo some time. Maybe my team should take a mission out that way next time we get the chance? We could meet up and you could show me around your city then!" Ruby chimes with innocent exuberance as they cross a street.

"O-oh! Sure Ruby, I would love to escort you." May replies, once more amending it mentally but failing to notice how, with her current companion distracting her, this trip hasn't frayed on her nerves nearly as much as she thought it would. "S-so what's our first stop?" She asks curious now where she's being led.

"A Dust shop called 'From Dust Till Dawn', it's my favorite and the old guy that owns it is really nice. He even keeps magazines aimed towards hunters and military types at the back. The only way it would be better is if he had weapon parts too. Can you imagine a dust slash magazine slash weapon shop? It would be great! Oh, oh! And add a slash bakery! I would have to move in then because I would live in that store. If I weren't becoming a huntress I would totally... I'm rambling again aren't I?" She admits bringing herself short as May's free hand covers her mouth to muffle her giggles.

"A-at least this time I c-could keep up Ruby. But please, what would you really do if you weren't a Huntress? I'm really curious." May asks trying to roll over the rambling to keep Ruby from getting too embarrassed over it.

"Oh, Actually? I don't know. I've wanted to be a Huntress my whole life. Just like my mom was you know? Protecting people who can't protect themselves. The world is full of monsters and it's a Huntress's job to make sure there exists a wall between them and the helpless. I was raised on those old stories of brave knights and heroes. It only makes sense I would want to do the same thing. What about you May, what would you do?" Ruby asks curiously as she looks over at her not-a-date.

"A pilot?" May questions herself aloud. "I've always felt comfortable in high places so I think being able to pilot small aircraft would be appealing to me. Maybe a small charter airship?" May suggests putting serious thought into it and carefully. Not letting her thoughts on what Ruby just let slip about her mother show. _'Was, not is. If her mother gave her that cloak no wonder she's so attached to it. I would be too.'_

"We're here!" Ruby announces, stopping in front of the shop and waving the hand not holding May's hand in a flourish towards the shops sign. It's that moment she seems to notice that she's holding May's hand and quickly releases May's hand, hiding the limb behind her back and blushing darkly. "Sorry about that May." She murmurs before shaking her head rapidly as if the act itself will reset her emotions. And it seems to work because May is rewarded with a beaming smile as the excitable girl opens the door leading the way in.

_'Though I wouldn't have minded if it was a bit further away. Her hand is so small like the rest of her but it fits so well in mine...'_ May thinks with a small shy smile as she steps inside and waves to the old man behind the counter.


	11. Wrapped around her little finger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter and the ones after may read a bit rougher as I they haven't been edited by anyone but myself. Sorry about that Y_Y

May wears a small smile as she indulges the energetic team leader. Pleased just to be spending time with her on their absolutely not-a-date. The sniper following the red caped girl past the counter with the smiling old man and into the back where Ruby finds a weapon magazine and starts flipping through it her eyes gaining an excited sparkle. For a moment May blinks in surprise, finding herself suddenly left to her own devices as whatever article that drew Ruby's initial attention has since grabbed hold and enveloped the younger girl in the pages.

 _'She's so engrossed in it. Gwen's information was spot on it seems. The girl really does love weapons. I don't know whether I am more concerned by her interest in the different tools used to slay enemies or struck by just how adorable she is when she get's excited like that.'_ May ponders to herself. Relaxing a bit as she gets further lost in her thoughts. Her blue-steel eye watching the bright silver orbs of her companion as they scan through the pages.

Eventually though May steps away for a moment looking through the dust shop before approaching the owner. Needing more fire dust herself that she can dilute down later for her dummy rounds. With a thought she also adds Ruby's magazine to her order of dust. Purchase in hand she looks around a bit longer before glancing outside the store and covering her visible eye with a hand.

It's with a firm shake of her head that she returns to her adorable guide pretending she didn't just see the girls outside trying to duck out of sight. All negative emotion leaves her however when she makes it back to see Ruby might not have even noticed her absence the sniper smoothly slipping back into her previous spot.

**~Outside~**

"What are they doing? They're both in the back and I can't see. They're going awfully quick to be looking for places to hide out of sight and magazine racks are so... Cliche." Dew asks the blonde next to her getting a face palm in return as the older sister realizes exactly what happened.

"They're not doing anything. Rubes is nose deep in a weapons magazine right now and completely oblivious." Yang grumbles out getting looks from the rest of the group. "Ruby always stops by here when she can for more dust and ends up staying for a few hours reading the latest."

Dew pouts at that. Frustrated for two reasons really. One, that their observing-and-totally-not-stalking-shut-up-Gwen is producing while admittedly adorable moments watching the two go through town and more than one picture for them to look over later. There doesn't seem to be much forward progress happening. Not juicy tender moments for her inner romantic to gush and squeal over. Cute yes, but nothing ground breaking.

The second reason and one far more important to the walking dust devil is irritation that her friend might be inside the shop getting ignored for a magazine. A thought cemented when she spots May approaching the front of the store alone. The group ducking down when May looks out their way.

"Don't worry I'll ask Ruby to grab something for me. Her scroll going off should snap her out of it." Yang states before Blake stops her drawing a confused look from both Dew and Yang.

"Let May figure this one out. She's done pretty well so far right?" The cat faunus suggest before glancing at the shop and smirking. "See? They're leaving now. Let's just follow them quietly. I think May already knows."

**~back in the dust shop~**

May watches Ruby for a short spell longer before tapping her shoulder gently getting Ruby to look away from the magazine and blush furiously realizing she let herself get distracted and ignored May. "Oh my Oum! I'm so sorry May, I started reading the magazine and just forgot all about us being out here together. Well not together like a date or anything but as friends. Like a guide! A shopping guide! A friendly shopping guide! I'm really really sorry May."

Ruby frowns looking down at her feet for a moment until May giggles softly shaking her head. "I-it's okay Ruby. I'm not really bothered. I just wanted to tell you I bought that magazine for you so you can take it with you, as a thank you for c-coming out with me and showing me around. You don't have to read it all here unless you want to. I don't mind waiting."

Ruby shakes her head rapidly grabbing May's hand again the other holding her magazine as she drags the flustered sniper out of the shop. "Absolutely not! It was really rude of me and you paid for me when I'm the one showing you around. Jeez I feel awful. I'll make it up to you okay May?" She replies cheeks burning brightly in embarrassment.

"R-really Ruby it's okay! Can you please slow down?" May replies struggling to keep up with the shorter girls more rapid pace despite her longer legs. Sighing in relief as Ruby does in fact slow down. Her gaze down cast making May wonder just how to get a smile again from the girl. "Y-you can make it up to me if you really want to. B-but I don't really see the need. I just don't want it to ruin our outing okay?"

Ruby stops taking her hand back from May before nodding and wiping her face and letting out a deep sigh before grinning up at her companion her bright silvers shining up again with a look that causes May's heart to speed up rapidly and heat to thunder through her body as her skin flushes.

"You're right. Let's just keep going, Weapon parts shop next right? Let's keep our eyes out for a clothing shop on the way too. I mean a cloak for you is the whole reason we came out you know? But if we don't find one I guess I can ask Coco from team CFVY, I bet she knows a place we can try. Oh! I wonder if Velvet is with her now? If so I can get an answer right away." Ruby adds pulling out her scroll pausing as May speaks up.

"M-maybe we can look a little longer on our own before asking? I-I'm rather enjoying being out with you. If you're in a h-hurry though I understand of course." May adds a bit hastily rapidly waving her hands in front of her. But thankfully Ruby nods putting her scroll away and starts moving again.

May lets the quiet between them settle for awhile until she notices Ruby starting to squirm in discomfort. Looking for a subject to talk about her eyes land on Crescent Rose again and she smiles. Handy thing that weapon as a conversation piece. "H-hey Ruby, Have you ever considered changing Crescent over to Semi-auto instead of b-bolt action?" May asks and Ruby seems to jump on the question like a lifeline.

"Well yea, but there wasn't enough room for it. Can you imagine if Crescent had even more moving parts on her?" Ruby replies before giggling. "Besides, there are plenty of upsides to bolt action." She adds with a firm nod.

"O-oh I know. I considered it when building my r-rifle. But with a l-large group of Grimm I wanted more ammo and l-less time between shots. Then again I c-can't be halfway across a clearing in the blink of an eye." May adds with a little smile as she compliments Ruby's speed.

The ebon haired girl blushes faintly before looking up and turning grabbing the door to another shop. "Here's the parts shop. They sell ammo too and some pre-built generic weapons for civilian self defense and stuff." She adds as May follows her in. Another question prompted by the Shy sniper to ask another question.

"D-do you load your own ammo?" May asks looking around at the types on display and in what caliber they are offered. The selection seems generic and less versatile than the sniper can manage on her own so she looks over the brands for different casings in her rifle caliber.

"No I just buy mine. Why?" Ruby asks tilting her head curiously as she moves a little ways away. Being the only two currently in the shop it's quiet enough for them to talk while browsing separately.

"Oh? I'm a bit surprised. I mean with a bolt action like Crescent you can probably reuse spent casing since it won't damage them like Lo... My rifle will. Besides loading your own ammo gives you more versatility. You just need to know a bit about dust." May replies stumbling a moment when she almost names her rifle before trying to roll right over it. Thankfully Ruby doesn't seem to notice.

"I'm not... The best in Remnant with dust." The shorter girl replies blushing softly.

"I'm sure you can't be that ba-"

"First day at beacon I exploded a crater in front of the school." Ruby explains in a tired voice. As if this is something she explains often. May however can only wince before pausing and offering Ruby another shy smile.

"I-if you want we can meet up some time and I can teach you a bit about it? At l-least as far as using it for ammo."

"Really?! That'd be awesome May thanks!" Ruby chirps vibrating with excitement her fists clenched ready to shoot up before she pauses again. "Oh but um... Mind if we do it Sunday or some time next week? I'm going to be pretty busy the next few days after classes." She admits grinning widely when May just nods back with a small smile of her own.

"No problem Ruby, let's get some stuff so I can teach you okay? Grab some cartridges, primers, and bullets to match Crescents caliber. The cheap stuff is fine. It's mostly for learning." May adds grabbing her own stuff and heading for the counter only to have a flash of rose petals jump in front of her.

"I'm getting these and her stuff too." Ruby jumps in grinning a smug little smile. Getting flustered protests from the Sniper.

"N-no Ruby, you can't buy these f-for me. It's to expensive." She protests, and sure enough her ammo does not use the cheaper brands. Still the smug look never leaves Ruby's face as the owner rings her up for all of it.

"You said you would let me make it up to you earlier. This is me making it up to you. I get to buy the things while we're out. And you can't complain." She replies wiggling in place, looking utterly pleased with herself as she slides her weapon magazine in with her other purchases before heading for the door with a dour May following her. Second guessing giving Ruby so much leeway and feeling guilty at letting Ruby pay so much but can't see a way to stop her.

 _'I'll just have to buy her next round of ammo.'_ The sniper thinks cheering herself up a little.

"Hey May want to take a little break? We've been walking for awhile." Ruby asks pulling May out of her thoughts and smiles when she nods before turning into a little coffee shop with booths and an impressive selection of baked goods. Making May doubt that Ruby was asking on a whim but it doesn't bother her. It's more the line of people that makes her second guess coming in.

"H-hey Ruby, I'll grab us a booth okay? I'll just have a small c-coffee. Black please if they ask." She adds retreating deeper into the little shop to find an empty booth with a window. It's not difficult. Surprisingly few people are actually staying in the store getting their drinks or food to go.

The sniper settles in and gazes out the window watching people pass by her mind wandering as an internal debate starts up in her head weighing the pros and cons of just coming out and telling her crush everything now. Her nerves screaming at her to resist. But she knows it's a stop gap. Not even she will be able to prevent telling Ruby at the end of the game. As the whole purpose of the game is to place her in that position.

In the end Ruby comes back all smiles and sunshine making May's heart skip again before her nerves win out and she just smiles awkwardly back torn between mentally berating herself for being a coward and reassuring herself that She will tell the bubbly black haired girl across from her. Speaking of hair.

"H-hey Ruby, can I ask how you die your hair? It l-looks so uniform." May asks softly And Ruby rolls her eyes.

"I don't dye it. It's natural. Or unnatural depending on how you choose to see it." Ruby jokes with a little grin before blowing on what smells like hot chocolate before taking a long slow sip.

May takes her cup and looks out again. The glass separating her from them a comfort as she watches them walk by. It also distracts her from the pretty silver eyes she's trying hard not to fall into again. The mercury pools like quicksand for Mays mind whenever they lock onto her blue steel orb.

It's an effort in futility. Eventually she turns back and blinks. Chocolate is gone, Cookies are gone, and looking down, coffee is gone. Ruby seems content leaning forward on her elbows and watching the shy sniper for the moment as she in turn gazes out the window. Getting caught out they both move to apologize together and end up laughing softly.

"Okay well. If it gets much later May I'll end up treating you to dinner too." Ruby prods with a smirk reminding May that the longer they continue the more Lien Ruby will be able to spend on her only driving her guilt higher. She frowns, Ruby giggles, May blushes, Ruby giggles more, May stands up abruptly and clears her throat before leading a laughing Ruby out of the cafe.

It's four blocks and a call to a certain rabbit faunus before they find what they are looking for. Stepping inside they look around at the clothing and fabrics. Simple articles on display such as capes, cloaks, sashes, belts, and tartans.

They look around for awhile before May has a few to try on. In the end she's down to three. A pure white one with red trimming. A light brown that will blend in better with wild life. And a midnight blue. Looking between the three she places the blue back knowing she can come back for it later if she changes her mind. Or, far more likely, make Nolan get it for her. The choice now being between aesthetics and practicality.

An Idea hits May and she pulls out her scroll smiling as she sends Dew a message before returning the brown and taking the white. Which she is once more forbidden from paying for much to her annoyance. However it makes Ruby happy so there is little really May is willing to do to fight it beyond weakly protest and profusely thank the girl.

She dons it immediately and smiles at the warmth being trapped under the fabric around her. Or is it just the knowledge that it's a gift she was given by her adorable crush directly during their almost-but-not-quite-a-date. Still that doesn't mean she can't give Ruby something even if it does take her building her courage up the entire trip back.

Once they reach the statue they started at may pauses and turns back to Ruby her breath quickening as her mind shouts in protest every movement feels like swimming through wet cement as she leans forward and gently kisses Ruby on the cheek. "Th-thank you Ruby for showing m-me around. I-I had a lot of fun. I h-hope we can do it again sometime." She stammers out before turning and hurrying towards her teams room. She doesn't make it of course. As three members of NDGO snag her before she can make the safety of her room.

**~back with Ruby~**

_'Oh Ruby Rose you have it bad. Never ever let Yang find out. She's already having enough fun teasing me about Longshot.'_ The team leader thinks firmly to herself as she snaps herself out of her stunned and dazed expression having just watched the pretty May Zedong vanish into the guest building. She walks her way slowly back to her teams dorms determined to get her blush under control before she arrives.


	12. A nap in the sun

Comforting warmth. That's what the shy sniper chooses to focus her attention on as she waits for lunch and after, her only class for the day. Her hands drawing the sides of her new cloak tighter around her frame relishing the body heat trapped beneath the fabric as she lifts her rifle again to look through the scope towards the forest from her perch on the stone work surrounding the school statue. Her eye not really focusing as she let's her mind wander.

It's Thursday, meaning tomorrow is the last day of her competition with the beautiful Ruby Rose. As of now May has managed to catch out Ruby twice giving her a two point lead in their little game. And while significant the red cloaked girl is becoming much more resourceful in trying to catch May out.

_'Just two more days May. Four more targets and it's all over. Jeez this is so stressful. I really hope I can pull it off. This whole competition was a stupid idea. I should have just said something to her earlier... What do I do now if she's upset that I'm Longshot? Ooooh, Why did I have to kiss her?! Oum she didn't even react! Was I to forward? It was just on the cheek though it wasn't like I kissed her on the lips. I mean I know I wanted to but that would have been a bit far just to show my gratitude. Stupid May, stupid game, stupid not-a-date. I blame Dew for this.'_ May thinks to herself, putting down her rifle before tugging down on her beanie. Her gaze forlorn as she looks out over the academy lawn.

She sent Nolan into town with a list of baking supplies with the promise that she would make a few things for her team if he collected them for her. He only protested a little due to having his teasing interrupted, the promise of fresh and warm baked treats to great to pass up apparently as he headed out. Leaving her to wander off alone and think, the markswoman desperate to work out some of her tumultuous feelings.

_'Well maybe she didn't hate it? I thought I would have been approached by her or her teammates by now. Did she not tell them? What if I did upset her and the only reason they haven't come after me yet is because they're busy trying to cheer her up? No, I'm sure NDGO would have heard if that were the case. Am I making to big of a deal out of it? Stupid question May of course you are.'_

With that she forces herself to relax again leaning back on the stone work and letting her new cloak cover her like a blanket. The hood folded under her head like a pillow. Sun beaming down on her cloaked back providing all the warmth and heat she craves murmuring softly to herself as she considers a nap.

A tickling sensation, the hairs standing on the back of her neck, the paranoid feeling of being watched, and a momentary quickening of breath before the prone girl groans and sighs softly leaving her eyes closed and responding. "H-hello Blake, here to yell at me for kissing Ruby yesterday?" She asks with the air of someone ordering their last meal. Her mind just waiting for the yelling to start. Instead, she's met with silence.

The one visible eye cracks open and May turns her head to face the cat faunus curiously. Surprise written on the black haired girls face. "What? Why would I do that? I was going to congratulate you. You thought we would be mad?" She asks seating herself cross legged a little away from May.

"Why w-wouldn't you be? I kinda... Overstepped didn't I? I m-mean I set up all the stuff as Longshot and then kiss her? It wasn't even a date. I'm sure she's upset." The shy sniper replies squeezing her eyes closed to hide her own emotions and the liquid she feels welling up.

"Whoa, hey May. We're not upset, not even a little. Yang is a little frustrated after I told her she can't tease Ruby about the kiss without giving away the fact we were following you two. But Ruby doesn't seem upset about it and we don't mind what you did. It was kind of cute really." Blake replies scooting herself a little closer so she can gently pat the girls leg.

"O-oh. Was there something you needed then?" May asks wiping at her visible eye and trying to be inconspicuous about it. If Blake notices she doesn't say anything though. However she does give off a little laugh.

"I knew you noticed us, Yang owes me ten lien. Not even a little surprise when I mentioned that we were watching you two." She replies with a little smug smile thinking over her later conversation with the blonde before answering the actual question. "But no, I don't really need anything May. I was just coming to check up on you. None of the others knew where you were. The only ones that weren't concerned seemed to be your team. Not to close to them are you?" Blake asks a small scowl forming on her lips until May rolls onto her back and sits up to engage Blake in a more appropriate position.

"Oh my t-team is great. They're not worried because I do this all the time. I spend a lot of time alone in h-high places." May replies defending her team and making sure to clear up Blake's misconception. "Th-they were worried at first but they understand now. I'm just more comfortable in places like this. Nolan will s-sometimes join me but he's in Vale right now. Well, he'll nap nearby in case I want c-company anyway. He's really nice like that."

"It sounds lonely." Blake replies with a note of kind concern in her voice.

"I-it's not really. I don't know if you noticed or not but I'm not the most social person. Crowds make me uncomfortable and t-talking to most people leaves me feeling drained after. S-so I find places like this." May replies with a small smile to reassure the black haired girl. "It's my version of a quiet corner of the library." She adds with a knowing look.

"Okay okay, I won't let it worry me. But don't be afraid to call someone if you do want some company okay? It's an open invitation." Blake adds holding her hands up defensively for a moment until they both start chuckling. When they finish Blake pauses relaxing for a bit before looking around and finally eyeing May quizzically. "How did you get up here anyway? I used Gambol Shroud as a grapple but how did you manage it? It's a bit far to just jump."

May tilts her head and ponders for a few moments before actually responding to the question. "M-my semblance." She answers simply, not really wanting to disclose it with the tournament coming up. She's not sure how the information could really be used against her and her team but better to ask Brawnz first to see if it's okay before telling anyone. Blake seems to understand too and doesn't inquire any further.

May takes a moment to look around. Blake doesn't seem to be in any kind of rush and with lunch still a few hours out the sniper looks back and offers her friend a shy little smile. "W-well if you want you can hang around for a little while. If you want to of c-course." She repeats not wanting to pressure the girl at all.

Blake smiles back and pulls out two objects, a book and her scroll, sending off a little message before nodding and standing. She moves a bit closer before sitting, leaning her back against the snipers, and opening her book to start reading. Missing another smile growing on May's lips.

"I let the others know I found you and you're fine." She explains simply feeling the sniper shift behind her a bit to lean gently back. Their weight supporting the other from behind as May props her rifle stock against the stone under her to support her weight in the front in case she decides to go for that nap. A sense of comfort settling over the two.

"Hey Blake?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think I should j-just drop the game now? You know, end it now and tell her I'm Longshot and everything?" May asks quietly.

"May I'm not going to answer that. For a few reasons, One being that I don't know the answer myself. I've never tried anything like what you're doing so I have no experience to speak from. Another being, and don't tell anyone, that I'm enjoying this little dance of yours as much as Yang and the others. I haven't picked up a romance book since you started because watching you is so much better." She admits smirking to herself as she hears the groan from behind her.

"Gee thanks, I'm g-glad to hear even you're treating my awkward love life like a T.V. drama."May replies in a pout with an impotent scowl on her lips.

"Oh don't be upset May. I will tell you this though, Ruby is enjoying the game even if she is a little confused about her feelings right now. I don't think you'll regret any decision you make unless it's to walk away." Blake replies and while it's not the answer May really wanted it's enough for her to decide to keep going. 'If she's having fun I don't want to put a stop to it. Her smiles are so worth a little more unease.'

She ends that thought before pulling out her scroll and staring for a moment at the background image again. The chocolate coated lips grinning widely back at her never once failing to bring that fluttering heat to her chest. It distracts her enough that she fails to notice Blake shifting behind her to see why May fell quiet wanting to make sure the shy girl is alright. Spotting the image though Blake's eyes go wide.

"Oh wow, when did she send that?" Blake asks not recalling the scene herself.

May jumps and closes her scroll hurriedly putting it away as a blush crosses her face. Stammering quickly and looking down at the stonework as Blake starts laughing. "Calm down May. It's cute, I just didn't notice her do it. Don't worry I won't tell her or Yang. The former would get more conflicted about everything until she finds out you're Longshot and Yang... Well Yang would start bothering you to send it to her." Blake reassures her flustered friend before turning away again.

"She sent it t-to me after I invited her to play the game with me. I guess it was to show how happy she was with it?" May offers after finally getting herself back under control and pouting ineffectively before leaning back again.

_'Maybe I can ask Ruby to teach me to pout like she does?'_ May wonders to herself before shaking her head ruefully. No one could pull it off the way her crush does. And if May tried Nolan would probably just laugh at her.

They sit quietly. Blake seeming to enjoy the quiet company as much as May herself does. The only indication they even have someone near them the pressure against their backs, the sound of the others breathing, and the rustling sound of a turned page or Long shot shifting against the stone. It's peaceful, quiet and genuinely relaxing. That said it's no surprise when May does end up taking that light nap.

She wakes up to a gentle shake from the faunus girl and blinks slowly before giving a little yawn and pushing off her rifle to stand. "Mmm, is it lunch t-time?" She asks slowly stretching out her limbs before wrapping her arms around Longshot and leaning back to stretch her back as well.

"Yup, want to have lunch with us today? There's enough room at our usual table for your team and NDGO if they want to come too. Usually we only take up half of one anyway." Blake offers and the sniper pauses to consider it before nodding. It means Ruby might talk to her again and while that makes her nervous after kissing the girl she just can't bring herself to avoid spending time with the younger girl.

"I'll ask Brawnz and Nebula to see if they want to come but I don't mind if they don't." May replies before hopping off the side of the side of her perch, her climbing axe catching the branch of one of the small trees letting her swing to the ground harmlessly. She waits for Blake to slide down using the ribbon on her weapon before turning towards the main building continuing their companionable silence as they make their way towards the cafeteria.

Entering there's a flash of rose petals that stops in front of Blake forming the object of May's crush that then begins to speak. "Oh Blake! I haven't seen you since breakfast is everything alright? I tried to find you earlier so we could play World of Remnant with you but Yang and Weiss said you were with a friend. Is your friend okay? Where are they? I wanna meet... them..." Ruby trails off of her usual ramble as she takes note of the shy sniper next to her team mate tugging down on her beanie.

Ruby looks at May bashfully, the tip of her boot sliding in little circles on the floor before she gives May a small wave and a quiet "Heya May".

With a far to amused smirk Blake looks between the two and clears her throat addressing her diminutive team leader. "Hello Ruby, I think you actually know my friend May?" The cat girl says with a teasing tone.

The three stand in silence for a moment before Blake rolls her eyes. "Come on Ruby, May's eating with us today after she talks to her team and some friends. Let's get our food and get to our table." She says leading the smaller girl away ignoring the "Really?" Ruby squeaks out.

It's only after leading both her team and NDGO to RWBY's usual table that she realized something she had forgotten about completely. Their friends. The blonde guy looks friendly enough, Pyrrha Nikos actually giving the guests a curious smile while the boy with pink eyes looks at best neutral. It's the last girl, the one with the orange hair and green eyes that worries her.

The girl in question only seems to have eyes for May and they are full of suspicion. May watches nervously as they narrow when she sits down and before any introductions can be made she speaks up. "You're May Zedong right?" Simple enough question but her look is still making May all manner of nervous.

"U-um. Yes that's me."

"Oh good, because I've got a very important question for you." Nora replies her voice low and harboring a dangerous edge. The effect makes May very nervous about what will happen if she answers wrong.


	13. Basic Maintenance

Ruby looks are Nora horrified before slowly turning her head to look at May, lamenting when she sees the sniper looking nervous and confused. The markswoman opens her mouth to respond when she's interrupted first by Weiss.

"Nora I fail to see what relevance that question has to any-"

"Yea yea we get it Weiss. You don't understand culture, that's okay I've gotten over it." Nora responds idly waving her hand and ignoring the indignant sputtering of the heiress and the sudden burst of muffled laughter from the blonde. Her eyes never leaving May. "Well? Your answer is important."

"W-what?" May asks her eyes looking to her team and friends for help but finds them all stunned watching the orange haired girl in shock.

"What? What's to get confused about? It's a simple question. Pancakes or waffles, which makes for a proper breakfast?" Nora asks. Oblivious to the fact that right in front of her is a towering stack of the former slathered in dripping syrup. Jaune groans rubbing his face in embarrassment as Pyrrha covers her mouth to hide her laughter that does nothing for the mirth in her eyes. Ren however just let's out a sigh of long suffering.

May looks between the stack and the girl wondering if it's a trick question. The growing tension and feeling of impending violence should she answer incorrectly she takes a deep breath and tensing her legs to run away if she needs to before trying to answer.

"A-actually I prefer crepes to either of those." She offers shrinking a bit.

"Excuse me?" Nora asks her eyes glinting until Ren speaks up his voice calm and level running a direct counter point to the small green eyed girl.

"Nora, they're very thin pancakes made using wheat flour. While you can eat them in a stack like the ones in front of you, instead they are usually folded and filled with all kinds of things. Some are even simply sprinkled with powdered sugar." Ren informs her.

Like a switch being flipped Nora brightens immediately and grins. "Oh! Well why didn't you just say that?" She replies in a cheery tone that sets all of the students from Shade on edge. Ruby lets out a loud sigh of relief and Yang can't seem to get a hold of herself. Her hands wrapped around her stomach as she tries desperately to hold in her amusement.

"Ren, can you make them for me?" She asks her knife and fork cutting into her stack as the guests start to sit and eat. It isn't Ren that answer though.

"I-if you want. I can make them. It's not t-to hard." May offers and it seems she said the right thing as Nora beams across the table at her nodding her head rapidly.

Pyrrha moves her hand away from her mouth and looks at May with a small warm smile. "I think you just made a friend for life. Now, I think we should all get introduced right Jaune?" She asks turning to her team leader, identifying him while also giving him control of the conversation.

Everything seemed to get better from there. As they introduced themselves to each other and talked May once more focusing her attention on following the different conversations starting up all around her. A pleased smile slowly forming even while she adds Nora's crepes to the list of food she'll need to make in the near future.

"I didn't know they served pancakes at lunch time." Octavia comments suddenly about half way through drawing everyone's attention and reminding everyone that yes, it is in fact noon and Nora is eating pancakes.

"They don't" Comes the reply from Jaune

"But then how-"

"Sometimes, it's just better not to ask." Interrupts Blake and things seem to settle into quiet for a few moments at that. Well quiet save for Nora's happy and oblivious humming.

**~after class~**

May doesn't know whether to feel relieved or concerned. Ruby seemed okay, if a bit more subdued around her today. And the question May was afraid Ruby would ask never came. Because if Ruby asked why May kissed her the sniper would not be able to lie to her silver eyed crush. And telling her the truth would make everything so much more complicated.

Dressed in a new outfit the light brown cloak with matching shirt and pants underneath finished with normal black boots she shifts and leans out to eye her last target carefully. _'I have a lot of baking ahead of me. Glad I planned everything for Saturday evening. I should have plenty of time that morning to get it all done. And I still need to make Nora's crepes. Maybe I can get Nolan to help me? So long as I keep him away from the stove he should be okay.'_

May snickers a bit to herself before leaning out again and turning away. She remembers quite clearly the last time she asked him to help her and left him in the kitchen unsupervised. She returned ten minutes later to watch him trying to bake using a pan on the stove top. His response to her incredulous questioning? 'I just needed to get it hot enough right?'

Her warm little smile lingers as she lines up her shot. Her escape route waiting behind her so she can get away clean afterwards. The shots getting harder and harder to take without risking exposing herself. This time especially. It requires her to shoot from behind the red cloaked girl in order to hit the target. She just hopes she can get away before Ruby realizes what happened and can take that picture.

 _'Deep breath May, you've only got 30 seconds so it's now or never.'_ The sniper tenses her body to get ready before pulling the trigger. As soon as the shot goes off she is turning, and taking the first of two steps that will drop her of the roof ledge and into the tree below. Her heart hammering she makes the drop. Her cloak trailing her down as she moves from one branch to the next bleeding off momentum before landing in a roll and shouldering her rifle. Making her way to safety she falls to temptation looking back to the edge of the roof she dropped from but not seeing Ruby there

 _'I thought she might have made it at least that far by now.'_ May thinks as she continues on her way and out of sight. Absently pulling her scroll from her pocket when it starts to vibrate. She opens it and freezes. The image of the ledge she dropped from in the picture as well as a good amount of her cloak. It's trail obscuring May's identifying hair, beanie, and rifle but still there's no question of who it belongs to.

_**'RR - So does this count? We both know it's you right? :P'** _

_**'LS - I don't know... That could be anyone's cloak.'** _

_**'RR - Really?! I was sure that would count.'** _

_**'LS - Oh it does, I just wanted to tease you for a moment. Congratulations Ruby. You're only one behind now.'** _

May pockets the scroll as she comes up on the locker room. Her eyes moving around carefully since the competition for today is technically over Ruby could show up at any time in a flash of rose petals and bust her. She approaches the red girls locker quickly with that in mind and tapes the days strawberry rose to the front before making her way out again. Her scroll once more entering her fingers.

_**'RR - don't count me out yet Longshot, there's still tomorrow.'** _

_**'LS - That there is Ruby. I look forward to it. Win or lose.'** _

There's a long pause after that and thinking that the conversation is over May dips into a bathroom closing herself into a stall as she changes her clothing and set's back out towards the schools indoor range. Ahhh the wonderful benefits of being a school for extraordinary warriors training to kill monsters bent on murdering all sentient life in the world.

Benefits like having an indoor rifle range where calibrating and testing can be done without worrying about wind resistance. A nice controlled environment where she can usually line up targets in three booths and set them at different ranges. She starts to relax her ears protected by inserts to dampen the sounds of guns firing all around indoors where it can echo quite loudly. Aura will heal it sure. But the ringing can be painful regardless.

Before she get's off her shot, a few hundred rounds sitting on the counter waiting for their turn to fire, her scroll goes off again. She debates ignoring it for a short while before eventually giving in and checking the message.

_**'RR - Hey Longshot, How did you know you were interested in me?'** _

Huh? A bit of an odd question. But one she doesn't really mind answering. Curious as she is to see where it's heading.

_**'LS - Well, I didn't at first. I caught a look at you and it was like my eyes stuck. All I could think about was your eyes and the longer I did the warmer everything felt. At first I thought I was getting sick. Weird feeling in my stomach, inability to focus, flushing skin, quick hammering heartbeat. I might still be oblivious if I hadn't talked to a few of my friends about it. They knew right away and started asking me questions until I figured it out.'** _

_**'RR - Can you tell me what they asked?'** _

_**'LS - Sure Ruby, They only managed a few questions before I realized it but first they asked If I was thinking about you right then. Next they asked if I remember every little detail. When I answered yes, they asked if I wanted to get closer to you, as a friend or maybe more. When I realized what they were really asking I then knew what the feelings meant. My heart still races when I imagine your smile. I can't tell you how many times I've been tempted to end the game entirely and just tell you. But I heard you're having fun with this game of ours. So I'd like to follow through and enjoy it with you. Even if it's only the once. You are enjoying it, right?'** _

May asks before putting her phone down on the counter and removing the scope from her rifle. She starts taking shots without the aid the closest target hitting dead center with ease. The middle having a tight grouping just a bit to the left, while the furthest target paper sees a few stray shots. It's after swapping out her clip that she notices her scrolls light blinking at her again with Ruby's reply.

_**'RR - I see, Thank you Longshot that actually helps. And yes, I'm having a lot of fun. Thanks for the rose too they're always so delicious. I've kept the sticks like you asked. :)'** _

_**'LS - You're welcome Ruby, for both of course. And thank you for keeping the sticks. I'll collect them after the game is over.'** _

May waits for a moment to see if there's any further response coming and when it doesn't she looks down her rifle again making small adjustments before firing into the middle target. This continues for the next hour with the shy sniper happily refilling her magazine before destroying her paper enemies with carefully placed shots. On her last magazine though she does something a little different.

Surrendering two of her booths she focuses only one paper target as far as she can get it down range before putting her scope back on her rifle. She makes no adjustments once it's been set and looks at the numbers on the dials. _'Should fire up and to the left.'_

She looks down her scope again after bracing the rifle on the table and taking a knee in order to be as still as she possibly can. She takes aim at the center of the target and pulls the trigger. _'Up and to the left. Good boy Longshot.'_ She thinks idly running a hand along the stock of her gun as if it were a pet. There's a reason she was so empathetic with Ruby about weapons being friends.

Adjusting her scopes dials back to zero she takes aim again and puts a hole dead center on the paper. A hole that only gets bigger as each subsequent shot is put through the same spot. Some shots getting a little paper at first but after the hole is wide enough the ones to follow hit none at all.

She hits a button that draws in the reel bringing her last target, unlike the others this one she rolls up instead of just tossing it away. Finally she sweeps up her spent casings before dumping them in a bin just for them. She looks a bit forlorn at the loss of them but Longshot's semi auto design is not kind enough for her to reuse them without retooling them a little and she doesn't have the machines needed for that task. No these will get sorted, cleaned, and sent back to the manufacturer for some benefit to the school.

Doesn't stop the tiny spark of envy at Ruby's bolt action Crescent Rose and consternation at the fact the smaller girl doesn't load her own rounds meaning she's been tossing reusables all this time. Still, that's going to change. May already has plans in motion. With that she nods firmly and starts to make her way back to her room for the night. Inhaling deep the scent of the night air mixed with gun smoke and spent dust. Already looking forward to the good cleaning she's planning on giving her rifle after she gets back.


	14. It all comes together

_'I don't understand. She's so good suddenly. I can't even come close. And I missed, I never miss!'_ May berates herself mentally her eyes filled with horror as She recalls the targets of the day. She had missed her first shot. Hands trembling nervously her bullet missed the mark entirely forcing her to retreat before her picture could be taken. But losing the point anyway when she ran out of time before she could make another attempt.

Unfortunately for the shy sniper the rest of the day went no better. She hadn't seen Ruby once since classes let out. Not on her first planted target, not on her second. Not even during Ruby's own turn did May manage to spot her. The red caped girl was like a ghost today and if it weren't for the lack of rose petals anywhere in addition to May's own faith in the little team leader she would be sure the girl was using her semblance.

_'I came so close...'_ She thinks sadly her eyes downcast. She had started the day with an advantage. A single point lead. Giving up the first point to her miss and failing to catch Ruby on both of her targets the best May could get was a tie. Which according to the rules goes to Ruby for playing with a handicap. After all, only one of them knew what to look for searching for the other.

A chime alerts the sniper to a message on her scroll. She opens it and her defeat is emphasized. Looking back is a picture of her taking aim down her scope. May didn't tie she just lost. Still, she has her plan. Ruby knows now, so she just has to come clean with a smile. In a way it's not so bad really. Already the tension in her shoulders grows lighter. Her steps feeling lighter now she's no longer burdened trying to hide her crush from the silver eyed girl. Closing her scroll for the moment she ponders what to do now only to get another message. Opening it her heart shatters.

_**'RR - Looks like I win "Longshot" You seemed so cool in your notes and messages too but you're just the stammering shy girl. Don't bother with my reward. Just make it not having to deal with you anymore.'** _

* * *

May cries out her eyes snapping open as she pants roughly. Already feeling the wetness in her eyes and on her cheeks to let her know she was crying in her sleep. Her hand shooting to her night stand desperately to check the time and upon seeing the date she relaxes again. Sighing in instant relief. It's Friday morning.

_'Great to know that my mind can give such a lucid description of my worries the last day of the competition. Thanks nerves, I really appreciate that.'_

Something feels off this morning, her head turned seeing nothing different than normal since coming to beacon. Same bed, same room, same sheets, same beanie hanging on the corner, same rifle against the side of her bed frame, same wardrobe half opened that she hadn't bothered to close the whole way the night before. But something still felt off.

She rises slowly from her bed the fabric of her sheets rustling softly in the silence of the room. Her hand reaching out to grab her beanie moving it to hang from the barrel of her rifle where it will remain until after her shower. All completely normal, something is still off.

She shifts, pushing the sheets away entirely as her feet dangle off the side of the bed, bare soles pressing down silently on the carpet beneath her toes curling as her head turns again making another pass of the room trying to find whatever it is that is making her feel so odd. She finds nothing. The feeling of something being off remains.

With a shrug she stands grabbing a fresh fluffy towel and heading for the bathroom. Unoccupied and silent as the room behind her. Though there's a slight residual dampness on the tiles beneath her feet. Traces of fog on the corners of the mirror from where it had steamed over. Still silent, still strange.

It isn't until half way through her shower that May realizes what has been bothering her since she woke up. It's the quiet.

_'Where are the guys? Normally I wake up and they're making noise at the very least Nolan would wake me up before they left. I wonder what's going on.'_

She finishes her shower quickly after that and emerges from the bathroom to glance around the room. Roy's bed unkempt, Brawnz and Nolan both made but with small signs of having been slept in the night before. The sheets being untucked the primary indicator.

She gets ready as quickly as she can after that hurrying to grab her things along with her bag. The books inside replaced with her competition gear as it is not yet her turn to take notes again. She'll just share with Nolan if she needs to read something during class. It's never been an issue before.

Thinking she'll just meet them at breakfast she heads next door to NDGO's room and knocks. She waits for a few moments and knocks again. Her ear placed to the door she hears not a sound inside. The soft silence save for what noise she makes beginning to unnerve her as she starts towards the mess hall alone.

Having her nerves wound progressively tighter along the way by the continued lack of people as if she woke into the beginning of a horror movie May can be forgiven for screaming loudly, her hands being thrown up to protect her face while her eyes squeeze shut in fright when she is suddenly pulled into a small room.

When pain and death don't come down on her in a cheesy spray of blood and gore she slowly opens her visible eye to see Roy standing in front of her. Pinkie in ear and a grimace on his face as he twists his hand. "Sweet Oum May why the screaming?"

May can also be forgiven for hugging him in relief before pushing him back and punching his arm. "J-jerk! Where is every one a-and why did you grab me like that?" She shouts. Which for our shy sniper is a voice just an octave or two above polite conversation at a fancy dinner party.

"You mean us?" Nolan asks standing in the room looking very amused and surrounded by all of May's friends save one even JNPR had shown up for... whatever this was. For some it might not be a lot and she might have only made them in the last week but they counted. The only person missing was one May enjoyed seeing the most.

_'I'll have to remember to thank Ruby. I would only have my team if I had never noticed her that evening.'_ She thinks to herself before shaking her head and asking the most important question for the moment.

"What are you all doing here?"

"What? They didn't tell you?" Nebula asks pointing to her team. And like a comedy act they each point to another in confusion getting an aggrieved sigh in return. "Well, I guess that explains that." She comments shaking her head.

"We thought we left a note... Anyway that's not as important. May we want to help you. Just tell us what you need and we'll try to make it happen." Nolan speaks up and May's eyes go wide as everyone else nods displaying a range of smiles. Except Gwen, she doesn't smile much at all she nods though so it counts.

"W-well, I won't take any help for the competition. I already have an advantage. B-but I could use some help tomorrow? I h-have a lot of baking to do not just for me and Ruby b-but to thank you all too. S-so one person from each team would be nice, and Nolan." May replies. Most are quiet, some try to wave off her thank you as unnecessary, and a few look excited. The last being her team and Nora of course. Nolan just sighs and drops his head shaking it slowly.

"B-Brawnz, would you m-mind getting everyones favorites? I need to m-make sure I have enough ingredients." May asks rolling right over the objections with a determined look making him chuckle.

"Alright everyone hush, you heard our girl. If you don't give me what you want her to make she'll try to get it out of your team mates. And if that doesn't work she'll just make whatever and then apologize after for not getting you what you really want." He comments bringing conversation in the room to a halt.

Everyone brings their attention back to May and she is rather surprised with herself that she doesn't feel overly nervous in front of them. The attention of so many people on her would usually bring her to a panic and result in her trying to clam up. In place of the familiar anxiety she feels at ease and offers them a small smile. "Th-thank you all. We haven't been friends all that long, b-but you're all so amazing. I-I'm happy to have all of you." She says struggling not to tear up and failing miserably.

As she is embraced by the small crowd in the room she can't help the happy thought running through her mind next.

_'This is so nice. Why was I ever afraid of people?'_

**~After Classes~**

_**'LS - Ready for the last round Ruby?'** _

_**'RR - Yes! I'm so excited, Today's the day I win after all.'** _

_**'LS - Don't get too cocky now Ruby. I do have the lead after all.'** _

_**'RR - One point Longshot, and the tie goes to me remember?'** _

_**'LS - I remember, I'll just have to try and widen the gap.'** _

The shy sniper sends out the first target. Her eye moving rapidly. Her head on a swivel scanning rapidly scanning windows and rooftops from her own cover. Her scope removed from her rifle and within reach.

She hears the crack of the rifle before her head swivels back to late to catch the red cloak retreating on her camera. She starts packing up and getting ready for her turn when her scroll chimes. Opening it her eye shoots wide. Ruby having already sent her the next target. She recalls her nightmare and her hands start to shake fearing the scenario.

She grits her teeth forcing herself to focus and steady her hands. She is only mostly successful but it's enough as she reattaches her scope and starts off at a sprint rushing towards the target. Her feet pound as she sprints towards the tower in the picture. She uses her rifles scope to scan everywhere she can as she tries to catch her breath.

It's a risk she knows but the window is closing fast. She pops up from her cover, takes aim, and fires before ducking down and trying to get away hoping she made the shot before Ruby could get set up herself. When no message hits her scroll she sighs in relief and closes herself in an empty class room sliding her back down the wall. A grin on her lips realizing she managed to prove her nightmare wrong and her hands have stopped shaking.

**~Later with Ruby~**

Ruby sighs hearing her second target ping as a dust round blows through it she doesn't bother looking for her opponent as she stands She knows by now Longshot is long gone. Instead she pulls out her scroll and smiles softly as she starts typing on it.

_**'RR - Good game Longshot, do you still want that date?'** _

As she waits for a response she heads for the lockers no rose this time. She shrugs by now expecting it will show up at some point between here and her dorm room. When she opens her locker she starts to laugh as it's waiting inside this time a little note hanging from the stem reading 'Yang helped'.

That was another thing to think about. Whoever Longshot is already has the approval of the rest of her team, her sister included. With recommendations like that whoever the sniper is she can't be bad. Otherwise Her sister would have run them off long before now.

She munches slowly on the sweet fruit on the way back to her dorm. Pausing once she's finished to rinse off the stick in a bathroom before finishing the trek. Her scroll waving in front of the lock letting her open the door. When she does Her team is staring at her expectantly. They all know what was to happen today. Ruby gently sets the green stick amongst the others as her sister loses patience.

However it's the heiress who asks first. "Well? What happened? Don't just stay quiet Ruby." Weiss half asks half demands.

"I lost. I actually don't know how to feel about it either. I mean. I wanted to win but... Never mind, it's not really important. I'm going to grab a shower first." She announces grabbing her pajamas and towel before heading into the bathroom. Inside she fishes out her scroll and sighs softly.

_**'LS - Of course Ruby. How does tomorrow night sound? I need the day to prepare and pick a spot.'** _

_**'RR - Sounds fine, I'll see you then Longshot.'** _

_**'LS - Sleep tight Ruby.'** _


	15. Setting the date

"So where are you thinking you'll have your date?" Dew asks watching as May standing in the guest kitchen carefully arranging the ingredients on the counters with clean empty bowls and tools. Her eyes moving over the room leaving room for more ingredients. Who knew fourteen people could have such a varied amount of favorites? Thankfully most wanted one form of cookie or other letting her bake them together.

"Hmmm? Oh, I w-was thinking maybe one of the clearings in the woods near the school." May replies absently looking over the list and smiling. Wondering just who her volunteers will be. Her thoughts are interrupted however by Dew once more.

"Really? What are you planning on postponing until tomorrow? I mean there's no way you'll finish here in time to do it today." Dew asks curiously her head tilted.

"N-no! If I put it off I m-might never get enough courage to do it. It has to be tonight." May replies the last part more to herself than to Dew. Her eyes closed to the thought as if that act alone could keep the temptation from effecting her decision.

"Absolutely not." Dew replies her tone firm and eyes narrowed.

"Wha? B-but it's my date, why do you get to tell me I can't h-have it where I want?" May asks actually seeming to be a bit annoyed her idea was shot down like that.

"You're going to have that cute girl stumbling through the woods in the dark all dressed up? What if she trips and messes up all the effort she puts into her looks for you? Not a good way to start your date. Besides, two girls alone in the woods at night sounds like the start of a murder mystery not a romance." Dew explains actually comparing May's love life to a show directly. Confirming May's thoughts on why they all seem to be so interested in it.

May hadn't thought of the potential pit falls of such a location, just the privacy it offers. She frowns and tilts her head. "How about an empty classroom?" The shy sniper asks only to be turned down again.

"Nah, for a longer date it would be a nightmare. We could turn away students to help but if a teacher came by we wouldn't be able to stop them from interrupting. I would suggest something in Vale but you're already nervous enough... How about the rooftop where you met her team? I mean you were comfortable there yea?" Dew asks as May starts pulling out the ingredients to make crepes figuring she can reward her helpers and make Nora happy at the same time.

"That would work I g-guess. Where is the rest of your team anyway?" May asks curiously. It's still morning yes, but she didn't expect Dew to be the first to join her in the kitchen.

"Oh Octavia and Gwen went into the city with your team only instead of hunting ingredients they're hunting clothes. How do you not own a dress? There's a dance for the festival and everything! What are you going to wear for it?" Dew asks with incredulity one brow raised.

Ignoring the question of the dance May's mind locks onto the implication as she turns to Dew. "Did you s-say dress? As in you want me to w-wear a dress? At night? On a roof?" May asks horror evident in her tone though Dew doesn't seem to notice it at all a shrug of her shoulders before she sets her elbow on the counter. Her other hand typing on a scroll.

"Well yea, you want to look your best right? We're going to make you look better than that." Dew replies putting the scroll down before turning her attention back to May.

"N-no! It's going to be freezing up there, it's a terrible idea." May replies.

"Then I guess you two will just have to sit close together won't you?" Dew teases her eyes narrowing as a smirk crosses her lips.

May can't lie, the thought is tempting. Ruby keeping her warm against the cold night air... _'No! Focus May!'_ With a shake of her head to clear the thoughts she turns to continue resisting when Dew speaks again.

"Besides, it's to late now, you already told her." Dew replies looking like the cat that caught the canary.

That sentence naturally brings May up short, her eyes narrowing in confusion before she notices Dew tapping the scroll on the table between them and turning to look at where she set hers. Of course it isn't there anymore. The sniper almost drops the mixing bowl in her hands in her rush to grab her scroll and open it.

_**'LS - Hey Ruby, how about the roof of your dorms tonight for the date? It's got all the room we might need and it's nearby.'** _

_**'RR - Sure! I'm looking forward to it Longshot. I can't wait to see you there.'** _

_**'LS - It's a date then!'** _

May groans and glares up at a far to happy Dew. All of her anger focused to laser intensity with all the threat of a kitten that just fell in a puddle.

_'Longshot is right there in the corner May. All you need to do is pretend you're going for some filling ingredients from the fridge. She's not even armed. If you're fast enough maybe she won't get her aura up in time. No one would blame you right?'_ She ponders the empty threat to herself before sighing in defeat and closing her scroll and pouting and choosing to ask a different question. "What about N-nebula?"

"Oh she's just sleeping in." Dew comments waving her hand as if brushing her team leaders sleeping habits off.

"W-well go wake her up and let the rest of my helpers know I'm making them crepes for breakfast." May orders pointing out the door of the kitchen. Getting a shrug as Dew pushes off the counter, pulling out her own scroll as she moves towards her teams room.

May continues working setting aside powdered sugar before setting a pan on the stove top letting it heat up on a low flame as she sets out plates with an extra for the finished ones. After taking a moment to butter the pan she barely finishes the first one when she hears a heavy thudding growing louder from the hallway. There's a loud skidding sound before Ren enters the room wearing a much put upon expression as he's carried bridal style by the shorter Nora Valkyrie.

May smiles warmly at the two flipping the crepe in the pan as she moves the first one onto a plate powdering it lightly before setting it out. "Hello Nora, a-are you two helping me out today?" She asks before removing the other crepe giving it the same treatment as the first one and setting it on a separate plate setting it beside the first. She doesn't get an answer as Nora sets Ren down in a seat before grabbing her own and looking around.

"Where's the syrup? These are thin pancakes right? Pancakes need syrup!" Nora announces getting a sigh from Ren and a giggle from May.

"J-just try it like that first Nora, I'll be making quite a few different t-types and you can try any you like. If after you s-still think they need syrup I'll get you a bottle." May offers as she turns back after smiling in greeting at the quiet Ren and getting a polite nod in return.

She made it as far as letting Nora try it drizzled lightly in red sap from Forever Fall before victory had been achieved. As the short girl conceded defeat.

The morning and mid-day passed in a whirlwind of shortcake, cookies, tarts and danish as May split her attention between eyeing the oven, what ingredients were going where, and directing her helpers. Her personal touches being added here and there sporadically. Occasionally taking over a task herself. Trays are built up, one for each of the four teams before being covered.

That said, a lot of fun is had between them and no one leaves the room clean as bits of batter and flour coat clothing, arms and hair.

**~That evening~**

May saved the treats for her date for last the platter decorated with baked goods running in layers in the shape of a heart the very center however remains clear for a vase with strawberry roses all carefully carved and placed by May herself.

With that part out of the way comes the most harrowing part. Her outfit. The shy sniper stands in front of the mirror in NDGO's bathroom her hands tugging gently at the hem of it showing off her legs. It's a modest white piece covering her chest and shoulders with short sleeves and crossing strings to expose a thin line of her back along the spine. Thick red lines run vertically down the sides ending at them hem of her dress at her knees. Her calves are exposed with her feet tucked into small white heels.

She moves over to the door and shouts outside. "I'm not c-coming out. I'm not going. I n-need my hat." She declares before glowering back at the mirror.

"You can't wear the hat May, we all agreed it would clash horribly and that dress suits you way to well for you to not wear it." Dew counters firmly and Dew can just picture the crossed arms on the walking dust devil.

"Not a chance. I need it o-okay?" May tries to explain and is met with silence. "Oh wh-what am I d-doing. This was so s-stupid. I'm j-just going to c-call it off." She says reaching for her scroll. A knock lands on the door making her pause and Octavia's voice can be heard from the other side.

"May can I come in? I won't look if you don't want me to. I just don't want to talk through a door, it makes me feel silly." The motherly red head asks. There's silence for awhile until the lock clicks and she opens the door stepping inside before locking it again for May's comfort.

"May what's wrong? We all know you love that hat but I've never seen you so upset before. We had no idea the hat meant so much to you." Octavia asks her eyes closed as she feels her way to the counter and lifts herself up onto it.

"Y-you can look. And the h-hat's not really that special. I-it's just a h-hat, but I need it." May replies her head bowed as her hand once more covers her left eye. It occurs to Octavia then that she has never once seen that corner of her friends face. Even when May slept in her bed after getting locked out of her room she still wore the hat.

"May, you don't have to answer if it makes you uncomfortable. But does it have something to do with your left eye?" She asks gently. And May doesn't respond verbally just nodding. The shy girl seems to come to some kind of decision before lifting her hand. Her hair lifting with it exposing the mentioned eye. Octavia looks for a moment before nodding and unlocking the door.

May starts to panic and covers herself again watching as Octavia cracks the door open and pushes a hand outside. "Gwen grab one of my hair clips." She calls out and waits until it's in her hand before closing and locking the door again and coming closer to her shy friend.

Gently brushing May's hand away Octavia gathers her bangs together and moves them to the side so they cover the eye the way her hat used to before clipping it in place. She smiles warmly then and turns May to face the mirror. "Better?"

May looks at herself in the mirror turning her head left and right before nodding a little and turning to give Octavia a hug. "S-sorry." She apologizes but never elaborates on what she's apologizing for.

The red head smiles again and moves behind May and gently guides her to the door unlocking it and opening it before pushing her gently out and into the eyes of the rest of NDGO. She blushes under the approving looks they're giving her. When her eye lands on Dew again though she gives a tiny glare and walks over snatching her hat back and handing it to Gwen. "You don't touch my hat again." She warns, her eye narrowed.

"Well... Looks like you're ready May, go get'em. Anyone turning you down now are either completely straight or out of their minds." Dew replies after a moment giving the sniper tray of baked goods. She curses softly though as May does remember to shoulder her rifle before leaving the room.

**~After May leaves~**

"Damn, I was hoping she would forget the rifle. Well at least we got her without the hat. I'll take what I can get. I think if we tried to take the rifle too at this point she might actually attack someone." Dew comments turning back to her team as Nebula chuckles.

"If she did it would just be you Dew. You're the only one who pushes her like that." She comments shaking her head ruefully.

"Hey it worked out didn't it? She was so cute!" Dew replies grinning ear to ear.

"Yea, she was. I can't believe I missed my chance." A voice comments. Her hands holding up the snipers black beanie to her chest as she sits on her bed. Gwen's eyes are clenched shut as she takes deep even breaths. "She looked so happy. Nervous, but happy."

"Gwen..." Octavia starts getting a shake of the head from the stoic girl as she lays back on the bed.

"No. Don't try to cheer me up right now. I'll have to deal with it. After all I was the one who took to long to say anything and missed my chance. No one to blame but myself on this. At least I got a sweet friend out of it." Gwen comments with a sigh. Only to glare at the sunny disposition of Dew Gayl as the girl flops down on the bed next to her.

"Do we need to drag you into the city again? We could repeat Tuesday." Dew comments with a crooked grin. Reminding Gwen of when the team dragged her out telling May it was a team outing. Which was true, but the entire goal was centered around cheering up the knife thrower.

"That's okay Dew, I appreciate the sentiment but really. I need to deal with this on my own this time." She replies with a rare smile before speaking again. "I hope Ruby realizes how lucky she is tonight."


	16. I tried so hard for this moment

Ruby Rose was not nervous. No, really, she was all manner of things all having to do with her soon to be date. Terrified, nauseous, and reconsidering every plan she had for what she was about to do sure. But not nervous. Because to be nervous would be to imply that she wasn't certain about what might happen tonight. And she knows exactly what's going to happen.

_'I hope Longshot understands. I just seems so unfair to her. She didn't even do anything wrong. May just snuck in like some kind of adorable, clumsy, stuttering, beautiful ninja.'_

The image does make her giggle a bit as she tries to imagine it.

Of course she hadn't told her team her plan either. They like Longshot and she didn't want to risk of any of them trying to convince her to reconsider. That makes it even harder really. Anyone the three of them could agree on had to be really nice. And was probably up there right now actually nervous while Ruby is pondering how to give the bad news.

She takes a step and nearly falls over. The other reason she isn't already up there and starting her date. Her outfit, the stupid lady stilts in a red matching her dress. The dress itself a bit simpler than the one set aside for the dance. a single broad strap going over one shoulder leaving the other exposed and hugging her lithe frame down to her knees. Loose enough for running if she needs to without the dress riding up to high. That was the only demand she could make that her team seemed to find reasonable when she made it just that morning.

She wobbles again and grips the railing for the stairs leading up to the roof tightly to prevent falling again. With a huff she grumbles and starts walking again. She wanted to wear a pair of little red slippers. cute but not overly so. Weiss said no. And well... with what she's about to do she probably should look as good as she possibly can.

_'Assuming she even wants the date after I tell her. Ugh why can't people just wear signs. "Hi I'm a perfect match for insert name here" Or like some of those romance books Blake has. Soul mates that are just draw to their perfect match. Just remove all the stupid uncertainty of dating and crushing on someone. You could just walk up to someone and be all like "Hey hold my hand I wanna see if we're meant to be together forever. You feel anything? Me neither, well we can still be friends!" Yea, that would be awesome.'_

One thing she's happy for right now is that being here means she's not still around her team and listening to all the subtle reminders that they know who Longshot is, how nice the girl is, how happy Ruby will be tonight, and how she should calm down.

_'I wasn't even freaking out! They were stressing out over it all more than I was. Besides, I doubt I'm going to be to happy tonight if this goes as awkwardly as it likely will. Maybe we can still be friends though?'_

Ruby gets to the door she sighs and takes a deep steadying breath before opening the door and quickly stepping through. Her mouth moving before her eyes even find the other girl.

"Hey Longshot, before we start I have to tell you something! I have a crush on someone else, but we can... still..."

Ruby trails off her eyes finding the other girl. It's May, her 'not pink' hair completely exposed and lacking in a hat. Ruby freezes as her mind struggles to make the obvious logic jump and connecting what she knows with what she's just found out and the implications therein. Sniper, from Vacuo, team approves, the entire competition was started because Longshot admitted to having issues with social situations. But May went with her to Vale! Longshot was terrified of crowds. And Ruby blinks recalling that conversation. _'She said she would do it if I asked... and I did.'_

She seemed to linger to long however as May's expression goes from a nervous smile to fear listening to her words and landing on sadness. Her visible eye tearing up as the salty fluid streaks down her jawline. She stands still before slumping and turning. She breaks into a run grabbing her rifle from it's place leaning against the railing.

The movement seems to break Ruby from her stunned silence and she reaches forward taking a few staggering steps. "M-may! Wait that's not wh- May!"

Ruby panics as she watches May steps over the ledge and drop. The red girl forced to kick off her heels in order to get to the ledge and look down. Spotting the sniper rounding a corner. Only this time Ruby knows where she's going. She bites her lip and looks back at her heels discarded on the roof. She looks around again and spots the platter of sweets on a little folding table, the ruffled fabric covering the table telling a story of how many times the tray had been re positioned to be just right.

There's only a moment of thought after looking before it before the only things left on the roof are a pair of discarded heels, a carefully prepared platter of sweets, and a scattering could of rose petals forming a trail back to the door as they slowly drift away and vanish.

**~Earlier on the roof with May~**

May has to force herself to stop pacing first, and then to move away from the folding table so she'll stop moving the tray back and forth. She shivers hugging herself and rubbing her arms to try and rid herself of the goosebumps forming. She has no idea what's making her feel colder the ball of self depreciating ice in her stomach or the actual breeze moving the cool night air. Probably the latter as she's eighty percent certain the former is a figment of her imagination considering ice forming inside her stomach would point to a very serious medical issue and she would likely be in a great deal of pain.

There would be screaming at the very least she's sure.

She looks over at her rifle again wishing she could take the time to take it apart and put it back together again as a calming experience... or maybe fire a few rounds? surely no one would even know so long as she left the silencer on. Her hands tug again on the hem of her dress. Before moving up to tug down the hat that isn't on her head. A fact that still causes her an undue amount of unease. Instead she just checks her hair clip again and flattens out her bangs over her eye needlessly before forcing her hands to wrap around her chest again more to keep them from doing anything.

She glances at her rifle again and takes a step before she hears the door handle move. Her eye locking on it with trepidation as her heart thuds loudly in her chest. The sound of her blood rushing through her veins flooding her ears loud enough to deafen. Then it all falls quiet.

The door opens and the beautiful ebon haired girl steps through in a rush. May's mouth runs dry as she tries to school her expression into a smile. It comes out nervous but it's the best she can manage as she focuses next on her arms. Ruby however has already started talking halting her hands halfway.

_'No'_ Her hands clench as her eye goes wide.

_'No, please.'_ The clump of ice that had been thawing in the shorter girls presence solidifies again in a painful hoarfrost.

_'This isn't what I wanted. I tried so hard.'_ She doesn't even feel the tears as they leak down her cheeks. Her chest constricting so tight the sobs she is certain would come soon are temporarily held at bay.

The sound of blood rushing returns to her ears as she turns away and hurries to her rifle. Grabbing the comforting weight of Longshot she steps over the ledge and drops. activating her semblance on the way down. A simple Semblance with a simple name and simple ability. A simple Semblance for a simple girl. It's just called 'Jump'. One can imagine what it lets the shy girl do.

In this case, it lets her hit the ground without the slightest strain before hurrying away. Looking for a place warm and small to crawl into. Like the shower in her teams room. Yes that will work wonderfully. Her feet already taking her there. The shy girl can't even bring herself to look back at the ledge she dropped from and completely misses the flash of red petals fading away in the breeze.

Her breath comes in shallow gasps. Her rifle clutched tight to her chest at the cold stiff comfort of her first friend. Her steps slow despite her effort to reach safety quickly. She looks up at the guest building spotting a light on in NDGO's room and in the kitchen. Her friends no doubt enjoying the evening talking about how well it's going for the shy sniper.

Her mind grips her harshly with thoughts of how she failed them. She gets into the elevator and presses her floor after a moment spent with her finger hovering over the one that would take her to the kitchen.

She can't bare to let them see her failure. If she goes to them now she won't be able to hold herself together under their hopeful gazes. No point in spoiling their fun.

Stepping from the elevator she heads to her room almost missing the girl standing in front of her teams room until she's only five feet from the short girl. She might have missed her entirely had Ruby not moved between her and the safety of her room.

"H-hey May."

"R-ruby p-please... I... I can't. J-just l-leave me alone. I n-need to be alone f-for now." May pleads, her throat rough and raw as she forces herself to speak. Unable to hide the pain after fighting it so hard just to get those words out.

Ruby noticed, at least if the wince was anything to go by. Still, she doesn't move her eyes wide and pleading as she speaks again. the pools of silver boring holes of fresh pain in May's chest. "Please May. I just need to tell you something. Just one thing. Then I'll go if you want alright?"

The sniper tries to shake her head and refuse. She tries really hard. But she can't bring herself even now to refuse the earnest longing in the shorter girl and sighs before nodding her head refusing to try and talk again.

Ruby takes it as intended and clears her throat her eyes looking everywhere else but at May now as she starts to speak. "S-so May. A week ago I got an invitation to play a game with someone who was interested in me."

May frowns, she knows the story before she opens her mouth though Ruby looks at her again holding up a hand to forestall her.

"She called herself Longshot. She left me notes, gave me her number and made these beautiful little roses for me. Elaborate, eloquent, and all without ever letting me see who she was." Ruby goes on her lips forming a small smile as her eyes look a bit distant.

"She even let my team meet her to make sure they would approve of her. They did of course. and the teasing was relentless. Especially from my sister." She adds rolling her eyes. "She had me interested right from the start though. I was convinced I was talking and flirting with my first girlfriend. There was just one problem." Ruby adds with a wan smile.

"You May, you were my problem." She adds and has to hold up her hand again. "I'm not done, please let me finish. It wasn't anything wrong. You were just so pretty and sweet and funny, I've never seen anyone's weapon malfunction so badly and I went through the trial and error phase of building Crescent Rose. Seriously watching that axe blade shoot out was great, but the look on your face? That shy embarrassment was amazing."

"More than that though. Here's this pretty girl who I can't stop rambling around but still just smiles and laughs it off. I left every meeting with you with a smile on my face that just wouldn't go away. I mean Longshot was interesting and could get a blush when she complimented me." She comments to a now very confused May. "But around you? Jabbering, red faced, embarrassed mess and still grinning like an idiot. Chasing around Longshot was fun and exciting. But getting you to smile was so much better than any of that. I ached to see more of them."

That gets a blush from the sniper as she lowers her head a bit, trying to hide her face at an angle. Still, she remains silent letting Ruby finish.

"So yesterday I was rather torn when I lost my little competition. Here's Longshot, A girl I promised myself I would give a chance after she went through so much just to get my attention. And, all I can think about is how I'm going to tell her that I've fallen for someone else. A girl with a sniper rifle. Who seems to be perpetually cold and always carrying around her rifle. Who's idea of a good time is teaching me how to make my own ammo. Who doesn't seem to mind at all when I lose myself in a weapons magazine and argues the merits of a semi-auto against a bolt action."

May opens her mouth again her pain and anguish melting away slowly. That cold ball thawing as heat rekindles in her chest under her skin. "F-fallen for m-"

"Still not done, almost there though." Ruby adds a small smile on her face as she moves herself back into May's line of sight so she can look into that steel blue orb. "I had a date tonight and I meant to go up to the roof and tell her that I couldn't be her girlfriend. I think I messed it up though because she ran off. I'll have to apologize if I see her again. Still, I did it. And now I'm here. because I want to tell you that... I like you. And to ask, will you be my girlfriend?"

She says it so simply. Her eyes sparking with hopeful exuberance. Her entire body rocking back and forth on dirty feet. As tension settles in her shoulders. Oh the worry is there too. Fear that her words earlier ruined everything.

May looks at her for a long minute. More a test of herself to find out just how long she can bare against that look before she finally caves. Her head nodding a little before her voice thick with emotion finally can be heard again. A quiet and shy "Okay" escaping those lips as she shifts herself a bit.

She almost trips as a red bullet slams against her. Thinly muscled arms wrapping around her waist squeezing her with shocking strength. the embrace made awkward by the weapon May had been clinging to. Still, she manages to work her arms from between them so she can tentatively hug the smaller girl back. Her timid smile growing as she pulls the shorter girl closer. The tears that had stalled earlier now coming again.

Ruby lets her go and May does so as well with a look of confusion and worry. Already worried she did something wrong to ruin things already. The worry is soothed though with one look at the bright happy smile on Ruby's lips.

"So May... I was supposed to have a date tonight. But my date ran off. She left all the stuff for the date on the roof. Think she would mind if we used it for our own first date?" The little team leader asks getting a broader smile from May and a shake of the head.

"No, I don't think she will m-mind at all." The sniper replies. blushing as Ruby gives a small cheer and takes her hand. Unlike the last time however, this time their fingers slide together interlocking and judging from the small blush sprouting on Ruby's cheeks, it's intentional.

They make it outside the guest building before May notices how gingerly Ruby is stepping and she pulls her new girlfriend to a stop. "R-ruby are you okay? You look like it hurts you." She asks looking at Ruby's feet in concern.

"Oh it's nothing I just had to run here barefoot since I can hardly even walk in heels. And when you're moving at speed like that the friction can get kinda rough. I'll be a bit sore." She replies unabashedly and utterly unrepentant.

May frowns and pulls Ruby over to a bench. "S-stand on the bench." She orders softly and a confused Ruby complies. She understands a moment later blushing darkly when May turns around to give the shorter girl her back. "C-climb on. We can get there faster and you d-don't have to hurt yourself if I carry you." May orders trying to sound firm. It instead comes out at best shy and hopeful. It's more effective than her intention would have been anyway.

Ruby climbs on her chest pressing against the shoulder blades of the taller sniper. her arms wrapped around Mays neck and she makes a little squeaking noise when May uses Longshot as a platform. slipping her arms around it behind her back and drawing it up to work like a seat for the shorter girl as they walk.

When they reach the dorm building however instead of heading inside May walks around to where she leapt from earlier. "H-hold on tight okay?" She asks getting a comfortable squeeze from the red girl before bending down and activating her semblance. Leaping up onto a street lamp before doing it again to clear the ledge of the roof.

At first worried after Ruby's grip tightened quite a bit before the second longer jump she's almost immediately cured of it after Ruby gives a little cheer. "That was so awesome!" A smile on May's lips as she sets Ruby down in a chair moving to close the door to the roof and taking the discarded heels for her date before returning. Setting the footwear next to the girl who glares balefully at the two innocent shoes getting a small giggle from the taller sniper as she takes her own seat at the table.

There's a pause between them until May waves her hand at the platter for Ruby to pick something. She herself picks a small tart. and Ruby goes right for one of the roses in the center. Another stretch of quiet until Ruby looks up at May and smiles finally asking the first of two questions May knew would come eventually. "So... Longshot?"

May chuckles and points to the rifle leaning innocently against the side of the table. "Ruby Rose, meet Longshot. My r-rifle." Ruby giggles and waves at the rifle as if it were a person. taking a bite of the Rose in her hands.

"I hope Yang wasn't to h-hard on you about knowing me. If I thought they were g-going to bother you to much I would have made them leave us alone when w-we went into town." May mentions a tiny frown on her lips.

"No more than her sisterly duties allow I'm sure. Wait! They were following us?" Ruby asks her eyes wide. "Wow, I wonder how she resisted constantly elbowing me about when you kissed my cheek." She says and they both blush at the memory. When they look at each other again the blushes deepen but they also start to laugh.

When they finally stop. They're smiling and May blinks noticing Ruby is no longer opposite on the table. Having moved her chair next to her. The sniper is baffled as she can't remember when exactly that happened. But doesn't complain in the slightest when Ruby leans her head on the taller girls arm. "Say May, I'm curious.."

May tenses immediately biting her lip, she knows what's coming and it's not something she even wants to hide from Ruby. Still the worry that it will ruin everything is very much there. Ruby seems to feel her tense and speaks up. "You don't have to tell me or anything May. I'm just curious it doesn't change anything I've said so far. But why do you always cover that eye?"

May pulls away a bit and Ruby's eyes widen. Her lips moving to start rambling again realizing she must have stepped on a big landmine. But she quiets almost immediately when May places a finger on her lips.

The shy sniper bites her lip and visibly hesitates. She doesn't say anything as a vulnerable look crosses her face. An animal tensing to run just in case it hears something threatening fits her almost to a tee as she lifts her hand to her bangs. drawing the hair upwards.

She winces hearing the soft gasp from Ruby as mild scarring mars that corner of her face. The eye there a dull milky white standing in stark contrast to the other that is already watering. Her mind shouting at her and lamenting how little time she had with her jewel.

She squeezes her eyes closed but doesn't lower her hand yet. She hears nothing and is certain when she looks again Ruby will be gone. So she doesn't look. Not until she feels a small hand with rough calloused fingers slide across the scars. A soft gasp escapes her and her eyes open again. Lashes fluttering against Ruby's hand. She sees Ruby looking back her soft silver eyes staring back into May's good eye.

"What happened?" Ruby asks calmly without removing her hand and May moves her head into the light caress gently.

"B-bleach, when I was a little kid and didn't know any better my mother was cleaning. I learned to walk and was running all over. She was cleaning, I ran over and t-tripped. It was before I had aura obviously. I know it c-could have been worse but... it's still not something pretty to look at." May comments missing the touch immediately when Ruby pulls her hand away only to blush darker than her hair when her girlfriend leans in planting her lips there before pulling back with a small smile.

"It's not so bad May, I don't think you need to hide it. But you could wear a really cool eye patch!" Ruby comments instantly excited by the idea making May giggle helplessly as the tears from earlier fall freely. Ruby looks worried until May's arms grab her and pull her in tightly.

A softly whispered "Thank you so much." follows getting a little shake of the head as the smaller girl shifts to get more comfortable in the embrace.

"I've been hunting after you for a week, I'm not letting you get away this soon." Ruby replies to be rewarded by a chocked giggle and a tighter hug. "Hey May?"

The sniper doesn't let up on her embrace at all her head resting on Ruby's shoulder. "Yes Ruby?"

"Aren't you cold? I mean... you're not wearing much, not even your cloak." Ruby asks.

The sniper blinks and considers the question before shaking her head. "Not even a little. I blame the warm company."

"That is so cheesy." Ruby replies giggling in response.

"Blame Dew, I always do. Still, it's also very true." May replies with a little smile as she leans back from the embrace a bit. Her eye seeking Ruby's silvers. When they look she sees a question mirrored back and the sniper is helpless to do anything but respond leaning down slightly. Her head tilting as her lips meet with those of her girlfriends. The pair shudder in delight melting together. The shy sniper resists the urge to sigh in joy in favor of continuing to lock her lips with those of the smaller girl. They break apart and are left gasping for air.

"Y-you have no idea how long I've wanted to do that." May comments blushing brilliantly.

"About a week?" Ruby replies with a cheeky little smile before they both devolve into helpless giggles. slowly they get themselves back under control blue steel meeting silver again holding each other in place with the feeling of electricity running up and down their spines.

Neither will be able to tell you after who pulled who back in. The recounts conflict but neither witness ever seemed to mind.

**~FIN~**

**AN: Stick around there's an epilogue and an alternate ending coming.**


	17. Epilogue: Graduation Day

beta read by: Crescent Sunrise

It had taken many hints being dropped in front of teachers and students alike in both Beacon and Shade. Suggestions and ideas spoken loud enough to be overheard and planting the seed before it started to take hold during the last Vytal Festival Tournament. That had been a year ago and now the fruits of their rumor mongering were being received. As fourth year students from each academy in Remnant were all gathered in one place.

A massive crowd made to show the unity of huntsmen. A united front displaying how the huntsman organization is meant to be separate but supportive of all four kingdoms. With that in mind, the idea of having the fourth years all graduating in neutral territory came about. And why such a massive collection of students from all over Remnant were gathered here in Menagerie the Heads of each academy on stage as friends made during the festivals mingle and mix, greeting each other with elated cheer.

All throughout, a nervous sniper remains perched outside of the crowd, her head turning to try and spot that familiar splash of red before it's owner notices her own white cloak wrapped around her like a protective blanket. Having perched herself in some of the scaffolding surrounding the large stage does give the sniper a distinct advantage.

"I don't understand why you're so nervous, May. You talk to her every weekend, you visit her every holiday or she comes to you. You two spend every summer together and half of last year both of you were in Atlas for the last Vytal Festival. We barely managed to pull you both away away from each other long enough to train for the tournament." Comes the voice of a very put upon Nolan below her position. With a roll of her eye she looks away from the crowd and tugs her hat down.

"I'm not nervous, it's just good p-practice." She replies lying through her teeth. Her stuttering had improved in the past two years but still wasn't completely gone. In truth, May was extremely nervous. Sure they talked often. But anytime her and Ruby were due to meet up in person, she always got nervous. Her mind playing out any and all terrible endings to her relationship.

None of those endings ever happened. But it didn't stop May from stressing about them. Her self confidence had grown but she was certain there would always be that niggling doubt in the back of her head reminding her that she didn't deserve her girlfriend and one day, Ruby would realize it too.

As her nerves built her hands shake a little and she takes a long, deep breath to calm them before looking again she spots a flash of long yellow hair and her eye is immediately drawn to it, spotting two others with the eccentric brawler smiling as they look around.

_'There's Yang, Blake, and Weiss, but no Ruby. Did something happen to her? Is she avoiding me? Oh of course I must ha-'_

The snipers line of thought abruptly ends as heat wells in her chest. A pair of pale slim arms wrap around her stomach and pull her backwards and into a hug. That red coloring she had been looking for entering her peripheral vision as tension and nerves start melting away immediately.

"Hey there. Did you miss me?" The young voice asks breathing softly against May's ear driving a blush onto the older girl's cheeks even as she watches Nolan chuckling and walking away below her, his head shaking slowly.

"I-I always miss you." May replies letting herself lean back into the shorter girl. Ruby would always be on the shorter side of the height spectrum. Something she had hated until the first time she had snuck her way into May's bed at night and found herself the perfect fit against the taller form of her girlfriend.

"I missed you too, but after this we won't have to anymore. We'll be full fledged Huntresses. We can work as a pair and take any jobs we want." Ruby replies pressing herself more into May's back. Something she had delighted in doing once her chest had developed a little more. She would never be as buxom as Yang or Blake but they were plenty enough for her and May could only agree as she blushes a bit harder feeling them pressed into the sniper's back.

_'I should ask now. Now is a good time.'_

May opens her mouth and freezes up for a moment as her mind immediately jumps to all the negatives before she forcefully pushes them aside shifting to turn a little so she can look into Ruby's silver orbs. The molten pools not having dulled a bit through the years.

"Ruby... Um, would you... do you want to..." She starts her voice trailing off as she tries to ask.

"Yes." Ruby answers with amusement as May sputters for a moment before narrowing her visible eye and frowning.

"Y-you didn't know what I w-was going to ask." May replies a bit put out at being cut off as she shifts around. Losing the feeling of Ruby pressed into her back but gaining a look at the younger girl's lovely face.

"Does it matter? It's you and me right? I can't imagine anything you could ask me to do with you that I would say no to." Ruby replies with honesty as she gives the sniper a fond look, leaving May to blush all over again. "Though I would like to know what I just agreed to." She adds moving herself into May's lap now that her hug has been broken.

"W-well, after we graduate we're going to look for a place to live together. That's what you agreed t-to." May admits looking at Ruby with a small smile. "Only if you s-still want to though."

"Wait, really? You want us to move in together?" Ruby asks sounding a little surprised as she shifts in May's lap to bring a little distance so she can look directly into the sniper's eye.

"Well I... I mean if y-you don't want t-to then we don't h-have to. I just th-thought it w-would be nice." May mutters her head dropping as a crushing pain enters her chest. "S-sorry it w-was a stupid idea." She mutters cringing at her own defeated tone and the mess of stuttering. It's like before she met Ruby all over and the stuttering regression does not make her happy.

She's drawn out of the line of self deprecating thoughts when Ruby places a hand on her chin. Lifting the snipers gaze from her lap to gaze into those same entrancing pools of sparkling silver that tugged on May's heart from the first glance. She feels her eyes watering even as Ruby pressing into her again the shorter girl's lips pressing softly against her own for a moment before breaking apart.

"I would love to move in with you May. I'm sorry if I sounded hesitant, I was just a little shocked. Where were you thinking about living?" She asks next waiting patiently as May soaks in her words. Before grinning wide as the snipers arms tighten around her waist.

"We'll look together. I'm thinking Vale m-might not be a bad idea. Since it's more centralized, when we t-take jobs we avoid longer flights." May offers before their attention is draws down from the perch and towards the stage. The microphones are turned on and one of the teachers was calling everyone to gather up with their teams in the sections designated for their school.

The two girls shared one last lingering kiss before climbing down to rejoin their teams in the crowds. There is a period of chaotic movement and voices before dying down to a dull murmur and finally silence as the graduating students turn towards the stage.

Each head of school stands behind their own microphone and it's Ozpin's voice that rings out first.

"Like many things, it started small. An idle thought spoken aloud that grew to cacophonous proportions as others heard and began repeating it themselves. 'Why, if all of us are huntsmen and huntresses do we graduate at the same time, yet separately?' Now no one can be quite sure just where the thought began but it's been growing for a few short years now and repeated so often in each academy that we began asking the same thing," he comments as his eyes seem to move from one point among his own students before shifting to look directly at May before he continues.

"But the beginning is not as important as the result and here we are. The graduating classes of four separate academies. All entering the world of hunters after spending the past four years fighting and struggling to learn everything you can about your chosen path in life. This is my favorite moment of each and every year. To look out upon my graduating class and see so many faces of former students eager to perform their chosen duty to Remnant. And starting this year. I will get to see even more than my own. I could not be more proud of each and every one of you." He finished stepping back as Ironwood move in to speak up.

"You are here from all walks of life. Individuals with the drive, passion, and skills required to slay the monsters that threaten our world. You applied to our academies seeking training to hone your craft in hopes of protecting the innocents of Remnant. And now that you have completed your training, it falls upon your sense of honor and duty to carry out that task wherever and however you can.

"It is important to remember. That being a hunter does not define a person. While you can make a career out of it and are certainly welcome to do so. You are not mindless killing drones. You could choose to join the military, open a store, become a guard for a village, or even return to your academy after a time and seek the chance to pass on your knowledge of hunting to students of your very own. I may be a General, but I will never stop being a huntsmen. And no matter where you go in life, neither will any of you." He finishes and the cheers are loud as he gives a stiff half bow before returning to the line of his peers.

When Ozpin went to take the podium again with an enigmatic smile on his lips he clears his throat before speaking up. "And now we come to the closing of this ceremony. One I fully believe will soon become an annual recurrence. Let all of you here with us today now stand as as lights shining in the dark serving to push back the terrors that threaten the peace of our kingdoms. I look forward to fighting alongside all of you."

He states and a loud chime rings throughout the crowd as students blink and pull out their scrolls. Their student ID's replaced with an hunter's identification showing each person's name and image as well as registration number.

"With this, you are now fully acknowledged hunters and huntresses. Please do remember to pick up your physical copies as you leave. Your lives will only become more dangerous from here forward so I highly recommend taking time after this ceremony to celebrate before diving in, but, that is entirely up to you." He finishes giving a bow before heading off the stage as the former students give out deafening cheers.

As the students move to leave in waves May waits behind letting the crowd pass her by as she closes her eye to try and ignore the loud noise and bustling bodies that occasionally bump into her as she pulls her cloak tighter around her until she feels those familiar arms around her waist.

Ruby doesn't say anything as she holds May until the crowd is past them earning herself a smile from the shy sniper who leans into the embrace. "D-do you still want to find a place together?" May asks before being nearly blinded by the bright smile lighting up Ruby's face.

"Of course! Buuuuuut, we might have to wait a few days. Yang is going to go crazy celebrating this and there's no way anyone in my team will be able to avoid it. Not even Weiss." Ruby replies taking one of May's hands in hers and lacing their fingers together.

"Okay, I think she should be allowed to let loose a little." May replies feeling much more comfortable as the crowd has left their area entirely. Moving to completely surround the 'entrance' of the area chosen for their graduation ceremony. Tables are lined up for each school with people behind each to try and hand out the ID's as quickly as they can.

"Oh woe is me, not even ten minutes go by after graduation and my partner has already abandoned me. Whatever shall I do all on my lonesome?" Nolan jokingly laments as he pulls the two girls into a hug. "Ruby, you look after my partner, okay?"

"You say that like you aren't going to see me again." May mutters shifting in his embrace to hug him back. "I'm not going to vanish, we'll see each other plenty."

"Make sure we do. I need to catch up with the guys now but we'll talk soon. Yang invited us to some big party she's cooking up in town." He admitted chuckling as Ruby groans loudly.

"It was inevitable, I guess." May admits with a small smile as she watches the crowd slowly starting to thin out as she starts making her way to the tables with Ruby.

"Yeah… Wanna sneak out halfway through and go to a bakery?" Ruby replies looking really excited for the prospect getting a soft giggle from May in response.

"O-okay, you know…" May starts before stopping as she realizes Ruby is doing it for herself as much as she is for May. Neither of them are big on parties after all. "Nevermind, thanks Ruby."

The smiles and hug she gets back has her blushing a bit until they break apart at the nearly empty tables for their ID's.

The bakery would be nice, so long as she doesn't let Ruby indulge in her cookies too much.

_'Then again the kisses always taste like chocolate after…'_


	18. AE: Gwen's Happy Ending

She can't bare to let them see her failure. If she goes to them now she won't be able to hold herself together under their hopeful gazes. No point in spoiling their fun.

With that thought she turns around leaving the elevator entirely and starting to head back out the front door not wanting to run into anyone that might be hanging around her teams room either. Maybe a nice tree would be better right now, sure it's cold outside but the thought is actually sort of appealing at the moment. Cold out to match the cold inside.

The girl makes it only a few steps back towards the exit when a voice stops her. "May? Why are you back, did you forget something? Don't tell me you ran away."

May looks over her shoulder and into the brown eyes of Gwen Darcy. Those eyes widen in surprise but the sniper turns away before she can see the girls expression change. She tries to make it outside before she can hear the disappointment. She only manages to get outside.

After a few steps in the cool air a hand grabs her wrist and turns her back around to see Gwen giving her a sad but comforting smile. "Want to walk with me? You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to." The snipers friend offers in a soft voice tinged with hope.

Taking a deep breath May just nods not trusting her voice at the moment letting Gwen lead the way as they wander the grounds of the school. It's not curfew yet so there's little worry of getting in trouble despite how dark it's gotten. The shy girl manages to make it to the statue before she gasps and takes Gwen's hand still holding her wrist in one of hers. Seeking any small comfort from it as a choked sob breaks free of her control. It's not long before more follow and she let's herself be lead to a bench.

Sitting down at her friends urging Gwen's thin arms wrapping around the sniper in a soft comforting hug as she starts to break down. The shorter stoic not seeming to mind at all as her shirt is soaked by the tears of her sobbing crush. May's hands clutching her desperately like a lifeline.

They spend some time sitting like that, May's flesh rising in goosebumps due to the cool outside temperature and occasional gust of wind, Before the distraught sniper finally calms down enough to pull away sniffling her eyes still swimming with tears as she tries to brush them away in vain.

"I-I j-just don't get it G-Gwen. I th-thought sh-she liked m-me o-or at least sh-she would g-give me a ch-chance." May finally gets out trying to calm down. "She j-just came out and l-looked at me and s-said she was interested in s-someone else. Then I r-ran, I c-couldn't stay after th-that."

Gwen doesn't respond verbally her hands running in soothing circles around May's back as the sniper sniffles weakly self deprecation rolling off her in waves of unabashed shame that brings a pain to the knife throwers heart.

"I d-don't know what I was thinking. S-stupid May with her h-hideous eye, h-her stuttering, and social a-awkwardness. Wh-who would ever w-want to put up with all of th-that?" May asks aloud. Not expecting an answer, she's caught off guard when she gets one albeit the manner it's given as well as the answer itself might be contributing factors.

Gwen grits her teeth throughout May's little break down. Her brow twitching as some of the most adorable things she's noticed about her crush are brought forward by the sniper in a negative light. So she does three things.

First she removes her hand from May's back. Next her hands are placed on the snipers shoulders where the curly haired ravenette gives May a few gentle shakes to get her attention. Finally she says two simple words. A sentiment she had been holding back for quite some time now.

"I would."

There's a long stretch of silence as May looks into Gwens eyes in confusion before her grief addled mind connects the dots and her eyes go wide. Still uncertain and desperately not wanting to ruin a friendship she hesitates, biting her lower lip before speaking.

"Gwen d-do you mean-"

"Yes, I do. Yes, I would. Yes, I like you. I have for some time, I just never got the chance to tell you because until you came to us I knew nothing really about you. Your team mates weren't helpful when I asked a few vague questions. And observing you was hard since you spend so much time off and alone avoiding people." Gwen explains finally letting go of the snipers shoulders to lean back a bit on the bench.

"I thought just coming out and saying I thought you were attractive might back fire terribly since you didn't know me. And when I finally got the chance to talk to you? It was when you showed up at our door after getting a crush on another girl. How could I have possibly said anything then?" Gwen asks shaking her head and sighing. There's a pause where she shakes her head and starts chuckling a little before starting to laugh quietly Leaving May to give her an odd look of confusion.

"U-um... Gwen? Are you okay?" The sniper asks with timid apprehension and more than a little confusion.

"Huh? Oh, yeah I'm okay. I just realized how completely insane all of this is. We are in the exact same situation right now. Both of us pining over a girl who's interested in someone else. Only for me it's you and for you it's Ruby. And I realize if I had just asked you out or something before all of this started you might have given me a chance and we might have both avoided all this heart ache." She says shaking her head ruefully.

Silence falls on the pair and it stretches for a long moment with May left fidgeting in place her head tilting back and forth in through as she shoots small glances at Gwen. Before any more can be said she takes a long fortifying breath and turns towards the other girl.

"Ask me." She says screwing up all of her courage and nailing it to the wall of her mind so it can't run away from her now.

To say Gwen would be shocked is an understatement. She's completely floored and it shows plain as day on her face as she looks back at the softly trembling May. Her first thought is to question May on her certainty. That impulse is crushed ruthlessly as she realizes just how difficult it likely is for May to say that in the first place. May is quite a few things. All of them shy and adorable, and none of them commanding.

So with that in mind Gwen clears her throat and speaks up. "May, would you like to go on a date with me next weekend? I know a few nice little places in the city that were pretty quiet when I stopped by them."

There, she asked. Now all she can do is wait. Not that she has to wait long for May to give her a small shy nod with an equally small shy smile. It's good enough.

Gwen is left beaming as she hugs May suddenly before letting her go with reluctance. "Thank you for giving me the chance May. Let's get you cleaned up alright? I imagine you don't want it to be obvious you were crying." She offers and getting a nod from May takes her hand and leads her towards the guest dormitories again.

After they're gone a smaller girl in a red cloak can be seen walking away from the area they vacated with a small sad smile on her face. More upset with herself than with the sniper she had developed feelings for. Maybe if she hadn't taken so long to react when she realized it was May on the roof things might have gone differently. Or if she had just looked before speaking.

She had heard every word said between the two and by the end all she could do way stay out of the way and wish them the best no matter how much she wanted one more chance. Maybe she would get it later. For now she would take the cookie dough out of the freezer in the dorm kitchen and wait for Yang to get back to the dorm for her own consolation.


End file.
